Cameron's Cousin
by Corky the Quirk
Summary: Never sleep with your roommate's relatives...Charlie/OC
1. Thank You MrDalton

**Author's Note:** I'm finally spreading my wings in the DPS fandom! Now, just a heads up, there will be no slash in this story. It's just not how I'm going to write it, sorry to you who enjoy poetslash...secondly, I'm not sure how I'll continue this story, but hopefully inspiration with come!! Anyway, enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Any Dead Poet is not mine :[

**Chapter One:** _Thank You, Mr. Dalton_

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I knew it. I just did. I could feel it in my gut the next morning. Somehow I _knew._ And then, when mother nature skipped me that month, it was certain. Charlie Dalton had impregnated me.

I needed to tell him. It was a must. Not to mention I had no clue as to what to do. But a girl can't just waltz into Welton Academy and demand an audience with a boy; specifically not Charlie, what with his colorful reputation. And so, for the first time in my life I found myself thanking God for Richard Cameron, my overbearing twit of a cousin.

I raised my hand in hello when he opened the dormitory door. "Hey, Dick," I greeted.

In return I won a scowl and him grumbling, "You _know_ I hate that nickname."

I shrugged my shoulders. "Yeah, well, you'll live," I assured him.

Before he was able to formulate any kind of answer though, Cameron was shoved out of view by a smirking Charlie, one eyebrow raised. "Hello, Ms. Duchamp," he drawled, grabbing up my hand and kissing it dramatically. For once I didn't blush at his antics, in fact, I think my face paled. Plus, my legs were beginning to turn to jelly.

Cameron reentered the picture. "She's here for me Charlie, so just go back to whatever homework you were copying."

If possible, Charlie's eyebrow rose even higher. "Here for you? Why on earth would such a beautiful young woman such as Ariel Duchamp want with you when _I'm_ here?" he scoffed.

Cameron was taken aback; he blinked a few times. I knew he wasn't shocked by the insult; he was used to those; trust me, I had to listen to him complain about Charlie Dalton, hooligan extraordinaire, every time the family got together. Oh no, what surprised Cameron was that Charlie had said my name. "How do you know my cousin, Dalton?" He added 'Dalton' with a certain poisonous finesse that only dear cousin Richard was capable of.

It was now Charlie's turn to gawk. He, of course, said a near-brainless thing. "Cousin? But your last names are different? You _can't_ be related." He pointed oddly at me, then Cameron, then repeated the process rapidly a few more times.

"How are you even attending this school?" Cameron sneered, then explained. "Our mother's are related, you dolt."

"Oh," Charlie breathed, finally understanding.

Cameron rolled his eyes in annoyance. "So what'd you need Ariel?" he inquired, leaning against the door frame.

I gulped. "Well, actually, I _did_ come for Charlie," I explained sheepishly as Cameron's jaw hit the floor.

Charlie looked up abruptly from the floor, a triumphant grin on his face as he said, "Literally." This comment resulted in my cheeks burning a lovely crimson color.

"W-what?" Cameron sputtered.

"Ignore him; he's just kidding," I attempted to soothe my furious cousin. "Nothing happened between us," I lied, forcing a laugh. Why on earth did I have to fall for my cousin's arch-nemesis, not to mention, the one boy my family would _not_ approve of?

Charlie laughed. "If you'll excuse us," he said smoothly, exiting the entrance of their dorm to join me in the hall. Charlie casually slung his arm across my shoulders, guiding me down the hallway. "So, Ms. Ariel, couldn't get enough of me, huh?" He smirked as my heart skipped a beat and the blood drained from my face. Oh, I certainly had more of him than I wanted.

I exhaled shakily. "About that," I began, choosing my words carefully. "Look Charlie." I stopped walking and stood directly in front of him to get his full attention. He had that cocky half-smile plastered on his face, as if he thought I was going to suggest we repeat our one-time affair in an empty classroom. "We made a mistake," I whispered, glancing around the deserted corridor.

He chuckled. "I've certainly never heard a girl say that to me."

I sighed, staring down at the floor. Be serious, for once, I begged silently of Charlie. "No, we _made_ a mistake," I tried explaining again, widening my eyes and hoping he'd get the message.

Which, judging by the horrified expression on his face, he did. "Wait..._what_?" he asked hoarsely.

My eyes wandered everywhere but his own. "Please don't make me say it," I pleaded, certain I'd melt down if I said the 'P' word.

"Wait, wait, wait," Charlie mumbled, holding up his hands and eying me suspiciously. "Are you _sure_ it's mine?"

I gasped; a full-blown, drama-filled gasp. "What do you think I am?" I yelled. The nerve. "I'm not a female version of _you_."

Charlie didn't seem fazed by my truthful insult. He ran his hand shakily through his hair, looking about the room, as I shot daggers at him with my eyes. "Okay, say it _is_ my kid--"

"It is!" I insisted; couldn't he get it through his thick skull?

"Yeah, yeah, sure...what, er, what do we do?" he asked, his voice faltering.

I gazed up at his face, biting my lip. "I don't know," I replied, barely audible. I had hoped Charlie might have some answers. Clearly, I'd been wrong.

He leaned heavily against the wall, slowly sliding down until he reached a sitting position and splayed his legs out in front of him. Burying his face in his hands he muttered, "Oh God, oh God, oh God." He stared up at me with the eyes of a child. "I am in so much trouble."

Now _I _raised an eyebrow. "As am I," I pointed out. I was the one carrying the kid after all.

"No. Me. _I'm_ the one with the reputation. You're the angel child," he grumbled.

This boy was seriously beginning to anger me. "First off Charlie, it is _your_ fault you have the reputation you have. Secondly, being...pregnant...changes the whole 'angel' image," I informed him. "How many people do you know picture a bulbous woman with wings barely strong enough to lift them off the ground when the word angel is brought up?"

He stared dejectedly at a piece of lint perched on his knee; no doubt wishing it would burst into flame, engulfing him, and therefore sparing him from his soon-to-be responsibility. "I can't do this Ariel," he admitted, unable to meet my eyes.

I stood, frozen in place. He did _not _just say that. "_Excuse me?_" I hissed, livid. "You, Charlie Dalton, _have_ to go through with this. I can't exactly return..._it_." I was quite proud of myself; I had nearly aced the marvelously nasty way in which Cameron typically addressed Charlie.

"I wish you could return it," he grumbled, his head drooping onto his now folded legs.

"Do you think I don't feel the same?" I asked. "I don't _want_ this. I didn't _ask_ for this. But it happened, and now we have to deal with it."

He sat there, limp and unmoving, like a dead flower. Like the way I felt. Apparantly he wasn't going to say any more, so, annoyed at his behavior, I turned to leave, just in time to catch a boy peering around the corner, eyes wide in surprise.

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**Author's Note:** Oh dear, what have Charlie and Ariel got themselves into? And who is the boy that overheard their litte conversation? Review and find out ;D


	2. I Spy A High School Boy

**Author's Note:** I'm so sorry this took so long! Starting college was a bit more of a challenge than I expected it to be, in fact, I should have studied for a final instead of finish this rather short chapter (sorry about that too!). Hopefully this chapter will satisfy you a little bit, although I must admit its more of a filler and leads up to excitement rather than have a lot of excitement in it, but still, it is a chapter none-the-less! Thank you guys so much for your reviews! They are so wonderful! I love them to death!

**Disclaimer:** Ariel is the only character that belongs to me...so far :)

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Just when I thought my life could get no worse, it does. I suppose I should become used to that, what with a baby on the way. It's not bad enough that I really am carrying Charlie Dalton's child, but now we've been overheard discussing it.

As soon as I make eye contact with the eavesdropper he immediately ducks out of sight. I roll my eyes and throw my hands up. Boys can be so dim at times. "Hey!" I yell. "I _saw_ you. You might as well just come out."

Charlie's head snaps up. "What?" he questions groggily. He doesn't realize that someone's spied on us; he's been too busy aspiring to become the next Invisible Man in an attempt to escape his quickly falling reality.

The boy blinked rapidly, nervously stepping out into the hallway that Charlie and I occupied. His blue eyes were downcast, afraid that just by making eye contact with one of us would cause him to burst into flame. And by the glare in my eyes from not only being overheard but also by Charlie's complete lack of obligation and sympathy, I honestly would not be surprised if the kid did start on fire any second.

"Todd," Charlie growled from his sitting position.

Todd, I presumed, stopped dead in his tracks. I would too. An angry Charlie is a scary Charlie. I took a step back as well, just to be on the safe side, as he picked himself off of the linoleum and stood to face the nervous boy. "I—I..." stuttered the blond boy as Charlie continued to stare him down with cold eyes. "I d-didn't mean t-to hear you..." Todd trailed off. He had made the mistake of looking up. Even the bravest of men would have feared the black of Charlie's gaze. The only person that wouldn't have been fazed, I thought, would probably have been Cameron. But that's because he was a twat. Todd gulped and somehow managed to get out one more sentence before shutting his mouth tight like a clam. "You two were rather...loud." He glanced apologetically up at both of us. Oh great, now we're receiving _pity_ from a kid who seemed to be the origin of the word. I mean, all you really had to do was look at him and you'd feel sorry for the bumbling mass of self-consciousness.

Charlie said in a low voice, "He won't tell anyone." He took a sure step forward, emphasizing that what he had just stated was more of a command than anything else. I believe Charlie Dalton is bipolar. How else could one go from being coy to a quivering puddle on the floor to a cold threatening person? It certainly isn't normal that's for sure.

Now I took a step forward, laying a hand on Todd's shoulder. "Don't worry," I whipped my head around to stare Charlie down, "He won't hurt you." Todd gulped audibly. Honestly, the poor boy was more frightened than a little kid at the dentist's office.

Charlie was still glaring at Todd, not even blinking, when all of a sudden this odd light came into his eyes and he straightened up a bit. "Hold up a sec," he nearly whispered, bringing his hand to his chin as if he were thinking. I narrowed my eyes. I had heard enough of Cameron's stories to know this look meant Charlie had a plan. And I did not like the thought of one of Charlie's schemes entering my life, as well as his child. "What if we _did_ tell someone?" I snapped my mouth open in retaliation, but he raised a hand and forged on before I could let a word out. "What if we told Meeks?" He raised an eyebrow at Todd, who, not wishing to upset Charlie further, nodded stupidly in agreement.

"No." I said, flat out rejecting the idea. No way was another person, let alone another high school boy, finding out about this until I found out what I wanted to do first.

"Aw, c'mon Ariel," Charlie tried to coax, back to his cocky self. "Meeks is a genius, knows everything there needs to know about anything, right Todd?" Once again Todd nodded ridiculously, I was beginning to worry about whether or not his head was going to become detached from the rest of his body.

"No." I replied, this time with more force in an effort to get my point across, "We are not telling another living soul about our chi—er, situation, until we decide what it is we are going to do with it."

"But don't you see?" Charlie questioned, acting as if I was an idiot. "Meeks'll help us decide what to do. He can tell us our options."

"_I_ know our options," I hissed. "I didn't exactly come all the way to Welton without being prepared Charlie."

Charlie smirked and rolled his eyes. "We're going to Meeks."

I could feel my nostrils flaring as I pursed my lips in frustration. "No, we aren't."

Charlie raised his signature eyebrow at me dauntingly. "Well, you can't exactly keep my mouth closed," he replied in the exact same tone a child would use once they've gotten their way and were shouting 'neener neener' at you.

My jaw hit the floor as he turned on his heel with a wink and headed off jauntily down the corridor. I was shocked. Appalled. What a bastard! Who would do such a thing? Oh, that's right, I'm dealing with Charlie Dalton. It was at that moment that I realized my hand was still on Todd's shoulder. Only now I was gripping it so tightly it was as if I was holding it hostage. I glanced from my hand to Todd's face, which had a rather indecisive look upon it and ordered, "Take me to Meeks."

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**Author's Note:** And Charlie is back! Please leave a review, they are greatly appreciated! I really do love them even if I can't reply to them all the time! Thanks!


	3. Bad Reputation

**Author's Note:** Well I was on a roll so I just kept going! Thanks for the reviews :)

**Disclaimer:** Ariel is my own character.

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Entering the room it was clear that Charlie had told not only Meeks, but the three other boys that occupied the room as well. In fact, there were so many of us there it was miraculous we could all squish into the tiny dorm room. "Make way Meeks," Charlie scolded a boy with thick glasses, "Lady with a baby comin' through!"

I glared at Charlie with so much mirth that he actually backed down. For about a second.

Taking my hand from Todd's arm, effectively allowing blood to once again flow down to the boy's paler than usual hand, Charlie led me over to one of the beds and plopped me down. I yanked away from him and crossed my arms. "Charlie I swear to God I am going to kill you," I hissed, eyes narrowed in disgust. This idiot had no respect what-so-ever for my wishes, which had been to remain as secretive as possible. Yet there I was, surrounded by six young men that were mostly averting their eyes, as if by just looking at me they would catch the pregnant germ and end up with a baby of their own.

Charlie cocked his head and grinned crookedly, "You wouldn't do that, Ariel. Who would take care of you and the baby then?"

"Someone with a sense of responsibility?" I scoffed, getting redder in the face by the minute. If I didn't calm down soon my cheeks would match the color of Cameron's hair.

"I have a sense of responsibility!" Charlie defended himself, but the outburst of laughter from his friends informed me that my conclusion had been correct. I raised an eyebrow at him in speculation. "Well I can be responsible!" He glared around at his silently chuckling friends, smacking one of them in the back of the head.

"Ah!" the boy hollered in mock pain.

"Shut it, Knox!" Charlie ordered.

"Don't hit him," I barked, not in the mood to watch Charlie abuse his friends.

For the first time since I had entered the room, all eyes were on me. They looked astonished that I had spoke up against something Charlie had done. They probably had never seen a girl stand up to him before. I imagine it was very rare, since in most cases the girls were all lining up to swoon over him instead of debating what to do with his offspring.

Charlie shook his head slightly and cleared his throat, as if to say "anyway" and tapped the top of Meeks' head. "Meeks has a few ideas for us," he continued to take charge.

Meeks, who was perched on the end of his bed, nodded, pushing his glasses back into place. "I think your best option is to just inform your parents—"

"But leave my name out of it," Charlie cut in.

"Charlie," the boy at the windowsill groaned, "You can't just let Ariel take all the blame."

"But what about my reputation?" Charlie squeaked dramatically.

"_Your_ reputation?" I screeched. "What about _mine?_ You ruined my reputation."

Charlie cocked an eyebrow. "You ruined your own reputation when you climbed into bed with me, doll." My jaw dropped to the floor and I could see the guys around me gape as well at Charlie's comment. Charlie held up his hands, "Hey, it's true. You knew what you were getting into."

"I cannot believe you," I whispered. How could I have been so stupid as to actually have a crush on such a nosebleed?

"Another option you have," Meeks burst into the awkward silence in an attempt to save the day, "would be being sent away, which is actually most likely to come after the first option I told you of telling the truth."

I shook my head. "I don't want to be sent away," I whined. I knew my parents would want to kill me once they learned of what was going on, but that didn't mean I wanted to be away from them at such an important turn in my life.

"Well then, another option is to marry Charlie," Meeks informed the room.

"What?!" Charlie and I yelled in unity.

No way on God's green earth was I ever, e_ver_, going to marry that wet rag of a man. He, apparently, felt the same.

"No way in hell," Charlie growled.

I was slightly insulted by his tone; I was after all carrying his child. "Oh please," I sneered, "You're not that great of a catch either."

Meeks, who realized he had just made the whole situation worse than it was before, interrupted with, "You wouldn't be sent away at least."

"But then you'd be stuck with Charlie," the tall, flat-topped fellow sitting on the opposite bed spoke up for the first time with a guffaw.

Charlie was about to smack the poor guy, but Neil shook his head paternally with a grin that Charlie returned crookedly. I had to admit, that lopsided smile tugged on some familiar feeling inside of me, but I wasn't about to say that out loud. I was determined to kill those butterflies in my stomach by any means possible. That shouldn't be hard, right? Charlie is an egotistical, rude, horny, teenage cube. So really if I were being reasonable I wouldn't like him in the first place, and getting over him should be even easier. A voice entering the room caught me off guard and I nearly jumped under the bed to avoid the incoming person.

"Hey Pitts do you have those notes of mine from—," Cameron stopped abruptly, glancing around the room with his judgmental eyes. "_What_ is going on here?"

"What's it look like Cameron?" Charlie asked, irritated. "We're having a party, and you're being a pooper. As usual."

Cameron's eyes landed on me accusingly. "Ariel, I think you and I need to have a talk alone please," he said. I don't know why he added the 'please', that was most definitely not natural Cameron behavior.

I slumped off the bed and walked out the door, closing it behind me so that the others couldn't hear, but I was willing to bet at least one of them, most likely Charlie, had their ear pressed flush against the wood of the door to catch a few tidbits here and there.

"I don't know what you think you're doing in a room full of boys, one of which is Charlie Dalton, of all people!" Cameron began chastising me.

I rolled my eyes. For some reason when dealing with my obnoxious cousin I always fell into this odd 'I'm a really cool cat' attitude, no matter what it was we were talking about. "Cool it, Dick, nothing's happening."

"I told you not to call me that," he hissed.

"Yeah, well I don't recall telling you that you could treat me like I'm five," I snapped.

I heard a mumbled, "She's feisty," from the opposite side of the door and smirked inwardly. Too bad I was only like this when it came to Cameron and boys that angered me. The expression fell from my face though as a rather loud and bumbling idiot in the room wondered aloud, "If he's so frosted about her just sitting with Charlie, then what's he gonna say when he finds out she's got a baby on the way?"

Cameron's mouth formed an 'o', eyes widening as he looked from the door to my face, slack of emotion as I stood, waiting for him to sentence me to an untimely death. Shit.

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**Author's Note:** Thanks for reading! Leave a review please :D And I know this chapter ended sort of abruptly, it was sort of supposed to be like in some movies, how the screen just goes black after something super shocking happens and that sound like a very loud metal door slamming comes out of your speakers. Yeah? Like that.


	4. My Heart's Still Beating Like a Hammer

**Author's Note:** I'm actually kind of proud of how this chapter turned out, though I'm not sure why I feel that way, ha ha! Anyway, thank you guys for the reviews! I hope you enjoy this chapter, it's longer than the previous ones, so that's kind of a good thing, right? :)

**Disclaimer:** I own Ariel and Terry. Long live Cootie and Clyde :P

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"Cameron," I said, as if I was attempting to soothe a wild dog, holding up my hands in a surrendering fashion. "It's not what you think…"

Cameron was turning a rather dark shade of crimson, resembling a lovely bowl of cranberries, when he cut me off curtly, "Come with me." He held fast to my upper arm and swiveled me around so that we were heading in the direction of his and Charlie's room.

"Cameron," I tried to speak again as he lead me through the doorway, slamming the door behind us.

"No," he held up a hand to silence me and for once I clammed up. I was caught, and I had no way of knowing how to get out of it. "You listen to me, Ariel. Charlie Dalton is bad news. That _thing_ festering inside of you needs to be taken care of. I suggest you send it away as soon as it arrives to some family that doesn't care whether or not they have black sheep in their lineage."

The way he was talking insulted not only Charlie, but me as well, and I did not take kindly to that. "It was a complete mistake Cameron, I would never have planned for this to happen." I stood and tilted my chin so that I was staring him defiantly in the eye. "And _you_ have no say in what I do with the _thing_ inside of me."

He sneered at me and took a step back. "No, I don't. But I can guarantee that your mother will feel the same when she learns of your…predicament."

I clenched my jaw, clicking through all the dirt I had on Cameron, desperately trying to find something that would keep him from informing our entire family of my situation. And then I thought of it.

It had been last year around the end of the first semester and Cameron had been stressed out about his looming finals. He had recently been struggling with his Physics class and I, as the loving cousin I am, offered to help him study one evening. We had planned to meet outside Henley Hall to discuss where we wanted to bunker down and go through notes. I waited for five hours for that square to arrive and he never showed up. It was explained to me later that throughout the week Cameron had been staying up unbelievably late to crunch in more study hours. With all the lack of sleep, Cameron had decided to take a nap. Too bad he forgot to reset his alarm to wake him up some time that night, because the next thing he knew it was morning and his Physics exam hit him hard.

D's are something the Cameron family does not approve of, let me tell you. "My mother isn't going to find out about it," I gloated, smirking up at him.

Cameron's eyebrows rose in mild surprise. "You may want to keep this your little secret until everyone notices how fat you are, but I'm not willing to keep the family in suspense," he drawled.

My smirk grew. "You mean the same way you've been keeping our family in suspense over a particularly horrid Physics grade you received last year?"

Cameron's eyes grew to the size of saucers. If it was one thing you didn't mess with, it was Cameron and his grade point average, or his parents knowledge of anything less than a four point oh. He gulped noticeably, adjusting his tie. "You realize these two topics are on completely different levels," he stammered.

I chuckled. "Of course I do. But I'm willing to bet it'll stop you," I theorized.

At that moment Charlie and the rest of the boys burst through the door. "What's cookin'?" Charlie inquired, fully aware that Cameron was now in on our scandal. This appeared to be the last straw for Cameron, who really disliked it when people didn't knock before entering.

"DALTON!" he wailed, turning to face him, a scary thing indeed. With Cameron's flaming nostrils, glinting eyes, and ginger hair, he truly looked as if he were on fire, and the only way it could be put out was by attacking Charlie Dalton, the root of all problems.

Charlie raised an eyebrow, "Yes Dick?"

"AAARRGH!" Cameron hollered, lunging forward, only to be stopped by Pitts and Knox's strong arms holding him back. Who knew Cameron had such gall?

A bustling outside the room caught all of our attention as Hagar shoved the door open. "What is the meaning of this?" he barked, demanding an answer before he noticed me, standing awkwardly among the rest of the boys. "Oh, Ms. Duchamp…" He glanced around the room. Knox and Pitts, although no longer holding onto him, were standing beside Cameron, who was tugging on his shirt to get rid of the wrinkles. Todd was hovering quietly behind Neil, and Meeks was pushing up his glasses innocently. Charlie was leaning against his desk, his smirk never dropping from his face. "I do believe," Hagar began again, "That you should be getting back to Henley Ms. Duchamp."

I pursed my lips and stared down Cameron. I needed an answer. I needed to know he wasn't going to be his usual finkish self and rat me out. Our eyes met for a brief moment and he bobbed his head. We had an agreement. I blinked and looked sweetly at Hagar. "You're quite right, sir, I'll let myself out." I smiled, tight-lipped, and exited the dorm.

Biking back to Henley I let my thoughts wander to the future. What it would hold was a mystery to me. I didn't like the word Cameron had used to describe what was happening to me. Festering. It was such an ugly word. Disgusting really. And yet, at the same time I suppose, correct. A Duchamp and a Dalton. Disgusting in the eyes of the general public, especially out of wedlock. True, the Dalton's had money, which typically meant everything in the circles our families ran with, but the Cameron's and the Dalton's did not get along. And as I was related to the Cameron's, I was expected to uphold the hatred as well. I didn't know why, and I didn't need to know why to know that it was somehow serious. In fact, I doubt anyone knows why our families didn't share in the camaraderie of the wealthy, so long the dislike had been around.

As I laid in my bed that night, trying not to have a panic attack, I listened to the sound of my roommate's breathing. Is that what it would be like to be married? Not just to Charlie, but to anybody. To listen to them every night as you both slept next to each other, closer than even my roommate and I, to be in the same bed and want to cover their nose and close their mouth so they would for once in their life stop snoring? No, I supposed that wasn't what it was like to be married, because I would never marry my roommate, who reminded not only myself, but also the girl who slept by the adjacent wall in the next room, of a fog horn.

A warm breeze made its way through our open window, taking me back to nearly two months earlier.

_The sun kissed my face as I proceeded to walk into the sunset, almost blinding me in the process. But I never let my smile falter. It was one of the last days of summer, and it was not to be wasted. Terry, a close acquaintance and friend, strode along beside me in a revealing sundress covered in a hypnotizing pattern of flowers. Terry was the definition of cool. She glanced at me from over the top of her sunglasses. "Would you stop bouncing?" she laughed._

_I had always bounced slightly when I walked, I never knew why, and it wasn't noticeable unless you had been watching me carefully or knew of it beforehand. He grinned, giving her the same look back. "It's what I do Clyde." I stuck out my tongue and dodged her fist. Terry hated being called a Clyde. Her worst fear was to be normal, less eccentric than she had built her persona up to be, and calling her Clyde was her least favorite endearment of mine. But I had called her that since day one. An oxymoron if you will for how popular she truly was._

"_We're almost there," she scolded, "So stop bouncing or none of the boys are going to want anything to do with you."_

_I rolled my eyes and smiled with half my mouth, "No one can even tell."_

"_Don't be so sure, Cootie," she smirked. I laughed. Clyde and Cootie. We were a pair that were always together, and everyone knew it. The only difference was that Terry actually had friends, whereas I was mostly just there because Terry didn't trust anyone else._

_Chris Noel opened the door grandly. "Hey Terry!" she squealed. She glanced at me with her fake smile. "Hi Coot!"_

_More proof of my status was how I was legitimately addressed as 'Cootie' and 'Coot' and 'Cooter', whereas Terry was always called Terry, except for by me. Not that I mattered to the rest of the population._

_The Danbury's house was already jammed full of people and night had barely fallen. Liquor was flowing faster than I had ever encountered at any of the other parties Terry had dragged me to, and there were a fair few. I was immediately handed a red cup filled with beer. I sniffed, disgusted with the stench of it. I hated beer, and yet, I always drank it. It was better than the cheap vodka offered, anyway._

_When I was introduced to Charlie I had already lost track of not only the time, but of how many drinks I had as well. I remembered him smirking at me sloppily, for I was sure he had had just as many, if not more, cups of beer than me, as well as a possible few shots of the vodka. He would say something and I would giggle. I would mumble something and he would creep closer. Somehow we made it, stumbling and being ridiculously loud as we went, to an unoccupied room upstairs. I tripped onto the bed, followed by a clumsy Charlie Dalton. I remember laughing nonsensically when I unbuttoned his shirt to reveal a lightning bolt painted onto his chest. He just kissed me more to shut me up._

_I was actually kind of flattered. It wasn't that I wasn't pretty, but boys had never shown much interest in me. Not as a friend, and leastwise as an actual female that was capable of fulfilling sexual desires, even if we were both full of alcohol up to our eyeballs. And that is what caused me to let things go: the alcohol fogging up my noggin and the unlikely possibility that this would ever happen again._

_Waking up a few hours later, Charlie was gone, leaving me with just the red stains of his lightning bolt on the sheets and smeared on my torso. I had never felt so alone and empty. And yet, even though at the time I didn't realize it, I wasn't alone, or empty for that matter. There was a little bit more of Charlie than just lingering red paint left behind, growing inside me._

Or festering, as Cameron had so kindly put it. I exhaled and wiped at my eyes; only then did I notice the tears that had been streaking my face. I swallowed slowly and counted my breath to calm myself, concentrating on my heartbeat and my roommate's snores to keep me grounded instead of up and running.

I had succeeded in keeping Cameron's mouth closed for the time being. But for how long, I didn't know. And even if he did stick to the deal, everyone would find out eventually. Like he said, I'd begin to get fat. I started counting the beats of my heart again until I fell into a restless and unsettling sleep. Tomorrow was a new day.

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**Author's Note:** Okay, so there's that chapter and you get to see a bit of the past. Also, I think Charlie had probably been painting lightning bolts on his chest for a while, it just seems like a very Charlie-ish thing, so I incorporated it :D Thanks for reading!


	5. Morning Sickness Ain't Just For the Morn

**Author's Note:** Okay, so I'm just really in the writing mood lately, which is good for you guys, but bad, because now I'm going to fail all the finals I'm supposed to be using this day to study for. Anyway, thank you for your reviews! I apologize for the lack of Poets in this chapter, but don't worry, they'll be back, I can't survive without Charlie for too long. :)

**Disclaimer:** Ariel, Terry, Caroline, Dorris, and the Dragon belong to my imagination

* * *

"Coot, wake up. Cooter? Coot!"

Someone grabbed my shoulders and shook me. I had slept through my alarm…again. I opened my eyes and stared blearily up at Terry. "Ugh," I groaned, stretching lazily. "What time is it?"

"Time for you to get your butt out of bed and in to math class," she told me. "We've an exam today, remember?"

No, actually, I did not remember that. "Okay, Clyde, cool it a second, I'm getting up," I assured Terry before sitting up in bed. And then I felt it, that familiar feeling in the pit of my stomach and the back of my throat. _No,_ I begged silently, _Not now! Not in front of Terry!_ But even as those thoughts crossed my mind I shifted forward and vomited on the ground. Ew.

Terry lept back, understandably so, and let out a shriek. "God Coot, that's nasty."

I coughed, "Yeah, I know, I'm the one it was projected from."

Terry grabbed a couple tissues and handed them to me so I could wipe my mouth. "Guess you won't be going to math then…" she mumbled more to herself than to me. "I'll go get the Dragon and she'll know who to call to clean this mess up."

I groaned again. The Dragon was the fond term we had given our horrible dorm assigned teacher. Mrs. Draggin, who I suspect was never, and never will be, married, even though she claims to be a 'Mrs', was a mousy woman that thought she owned the world. She controlled everything and made sure no one got out of line. Or so she thought. She wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, and yet she was somehow hired on as a Political Science professor here at Henley.

"That stench is atrocious," was the first thing that came out of her mouth when she entered my room, Terry following closely behind. "Ms. Duchamp what on earth caused this?"

I raised an eyebrow. I mean, I knew what caused it, but any other poor girl that had the unfortunate need to barf probably couldn't pinpoint what it was that had caused it. 'Oh, well Mrs. Draggin, I've recently acquired the Black Plague, would you like to check my tongue?' Terry was smiling behind her, waiting to see what my reply was going to be.

I just shrugged. "I don't know," I said, "It just sort of happened." Which actually could be the answer to my problem…

"Very well," the Dragon sniffed, "I'll go get Dorris to clean this up and watch after you. No class today." Then she turned on her heel and exited the room, giving Terry a very stuffy glance that clearly meant, 'Get to class, I don't see _you_ releasing your innards'. Terry widened her eyes in good-bye and left the room as well.

I collapsed back onto my bed, finally realizing I had been holding my breath. I sniffed, grabbing a tissue and blowing my nose. It had been two weeks since I had visited Welton, and I hadn't heard a word from anyone. Not Charlie, not Cameron, not my parents, which meant Cameron had kept our little secret so far. Yet, I still wanted to just pack my bags and never look back. I wanted to escape to a faraway place where no one knew me, no one called me Cootie, no one knew who Charlie Dalton was, and everyone just accepted that I was pregnant without being married. I mean, there had to be someplace like that, didn't there? But not those homes that girls were typically sent to. I had heard horror stories about those places. There was a girl named Nancy Boot a couple years back who wound up in an unwanted situation and she got sent somewhere right off the bat. No one at school even knew until she came back to school exactly nine months later, looking like she'd seen a ghost. She used to be a beautiful young woman, with bright eyes and silky smooth hair, but now, she has dark circles under her blue orbs and her hair is matted, never combed. I do not want to end up like Nancy Boot.

Dorris, a large black woman, hustled into my dorm, scurrying over to my side. "Oh hun, is there anythin' I can get you before I start cleanin' this up?"

I shook my head, "Thanks, but I'm fine."

"Alright you just lay there and I'll be back with a mop and a bucket in no time," she explained, then her hand instinctively stretched out and pressed against my forehead. Dorris recoiled almost immediately. She blinked, looking at me through suspicious eyes. "When's it due?"

That question made my blood run cold. I gulped, "Excuse me?"

Dorris placed her hands on her hips. "You know what I'm talkin' bout Coot."

Even the staff called me by that name!

I gulped again, "Nothing is due Dorris, except for maybe a math assignment or two."

Dorris clicked her tongue, "I'm gonna go get that mop now, you stay put."

I ran a hand through my hair. I should've known Dorris would guess. She'd seen this type of thing happen too many times in her life. She did, after all, work at an all girls school. But what would she do with her new found knowledge? I didn't know if Dorris was the kind of faculty to go running to the headmistress, or if she was one of those caring staffers that actually wanted to help the kids attending the school.

She returned with a mop in one hand and a bucket in the other. As she went about, doing her janitorial duty, she whispered, "How far along are you, sugar?"

I licked my unusually dry lips and swiped at my runny nose with the back of my hand. "Why? Are you going to tell Draggin?"

Dorris glanced up at me, hand on hip, and raised one of her eyes skeptically, "I'm not in the habit of throwing girls to the sharks," she informed me.

I nodded, as tears blurred my vision; this mood swing thing was kind of annoying. "Nine weeks. Maybe ten." I looked down at my stomach. "I feel so big."

Dorris rolled her eyes as she heaved the now full bucket off the ground. "Don't you worry Coot, you ain't big yet, no one can tell but you."

I nodded and she made her way to the door. "Dorris?" She turned back to look at me with pity. "Thanks." She nodded and smiled kindly at me.

"You know where to find me," she winked, and then she was gone.

I went back to sleep then, and when I stirred because of my voracious stomach, I saw there was a bucket next to my bed, just in case. Apparently my body felt compelled to use it, because as I leaned over the bed to grab a Kleenex even more came out of me, sloshing noisily into the metal.

"Ugh," I moaned to myself, wishing I had never met Charlie.

My roommate, Caroline, poked her head into the room, door open just a crack. "Good day, Ariel," she greeted me.

"Hi Caroline," I replied monotone.

She slowly crept further into the room, staying as far away from me as possible, so as not to catch anything. "There were visitors for you," she informed me, "but I told them you were too sick to see anybody."

I sprang up into a sitting position. "What?"

Caroline nodded, "Yes. Two boys from over at Welton. I don't know what on earth they were doing here, unless Welton's school day ends earlier than ours…"

I cranked my neck around to check the time. Three in the afternoon. I had slept away my entire day. "What were their names?" I demanded.

Caroline itched at the back of her neck. "Hmm. Something like Knock…oh, and one named Charlie…Headmistress Quarry was very reluctant to allow them into the school."

I licked my lips nervously again in thought. So Charlie had come to Henley to see me. To tell me something. But what was it he had to say?

*

Charlie was fleeing the grounds of Henley as fast as he could. Knox reached out, grabbing him by the arm. "Charlie, you've come this far, you've at least got to leave a note or something," he said.

Charlie shook his head. "No, I just want to get out of here."

"Charlie," Knox exclaimed. "You've got to let her know you're here for her, that you're going to be there for the baby all the way to the end."

Charlie stared passively at the ground. "I've never done this before Knox," he gulped.

"Neither has she," Knox replied.

Charlie raised his eyes to meet Knox's. Quietly, barely audible to even Knox's ears, Charlie admitted, "I'm scared Knox."

* * *

**Author's Note:** So, sorry if the last part was unclear, but that is NOT from Ariel's point of view...because she's not with them at the time or anything. Thanks for reading!


	6. Sidekicks Are the Real Heroes

**Author's Note: **Okay, so, I accidentally did it again...I wrote another chapter instead of study...and it sort of makes me feel like I have no life, but trust me, I usually do not spend my whole day writing fiction, although that'd be cool...but I don't...anyway, this chapter has more Charlie/Ariel interaction!

**Disclaimer:** Any Dead Poet is not mine

* * *

I sat back in my chair, staring out the window in the direction of Welton; I could just make out the spires jutting out from the trees, and found myself wondering what Charlie was doing. My stomach was tame now, having nothing left inside to eject. Ten weeks. For ten weeks something that Charlie and I made together has been growing slowly inside of me. That motherly attachment was already starting and I was only two and a half months into this. I had no idea what I was going to do when my baby was ripped from my hands when it finally arrived.

A knock on the door broke me from my thoughts. I glanced up to see Terry leaning in the doorway. "You okay Cootie? You haven't really been yourself lately," she whispered.

I nodded tiredly. "Yeah, I'm fine," I reassured her. I felt guilty for not telling Terry, but I just wasn't ready for that yet. Contrary to the belief that your closest friends will keep your secrets, Terry won't. She has the biggest mouth in the universe, and no matter how hard she tries, because trust me, she tries, she just can't keep a good story in. "I'm really hungry though," I admitted.

"Well," Terry laughed, "It _is_ dinner time."

I furrowed my brow. "What?" It couldn't possibly be that late already. I grabbed my clock and stared at the hour hand, then I glanced down to where my notebook lay open, the only thing written on the page being my name.

Terry walked over to me. "I think your brain ran away Coot," she remarked. "You've definitely had your head in the clouds recently."

I gulped, nodding in agreement, "Mmhmm."

She gently took the clock from my hand, "C'mon Coot, let's go eat."

Once again, I merely nodded. It had been a few days since Caroline had informed me of Knox and Charlie showing up. "I'll be down in a second," I suddenly said, surprising even myself. "I have to make a phone call."

Terry gave me an odd look. She knew I didn't care much for phones and that I never called my family. She also wasn't aware that I had gone over to Welton within the past month. "Right-o…" she drifted off and headed to supper.

I pursed my lips nervously. I felt as if I was walking to my execution the closer I got to the communal phone, change clanking together in the palm of my hand. I exhaled, trying to control my nerves, and picked up the receiver. Slowly I slipped the coins in the slot and dialed. I accidentally crumpled the paper on which the number was written, smearing the last digit, so I took a wild guess and punched it in.

I guessed correctly. "Hello, could I please speak with Charlie Dalton?" I asked as courteously as possible, considering I was having trouble breathing. The secretary seemed disgruntled, but obliged and told me to wait a minute.

"This is Charlie," his voice rang out a moment later.

Just the sound of his voice made my knees wobble for some unknown reason. "Hi Charlie," I whispered.

"Hey babe, how's it goin'?" You could almost hear the smirk on his face. And that's how I knew he wasn't quite sure who was calling him.

"It's me Charlie," I said in the same tone.

There was a long pause and then a shaky sigh. "Ariel?"

"Ding, ding, we have a winner," I replied dryly.

"I'm sorry, it's just…I wasn't expecting you."

My nervous butterflies were beginning to turn into enraged butterflies, bursting into flames. "Well, sorry to disappoint you, but this is the pregnant girl," I hissed, checking over my shoulder to make sure the corridor was still empty.

"Hey, doll, I said I was sorry," he defended himself.

"Why did you visit?" I asked abruptly, trying to keep the conversation as civil as possible and getting right to the point.

"What?"

"I know you stopped by Henley the other day. Why?" My knees were beginning to shake again, scared that his answer would be something I didn't want to hear.

I heard him sigh again, this time I could tell he was thinking of what to say. "I don't know." That was the best he could come up with?

I swallowed. "Oh."

"Hey, it's kind of hard to talk here," he said quickly. Well, there he goes, flaking again. "So could I meet you somewhere?"

I was shocked. That was not what I expected. I thought this phone call was going to be a quick 'Oh, ya know, I came to say hi and I'm abandoning you' *cheeky smirk, kiss on the hand* 'Bye' type of thing. But no, now he was saying he didn't know why he'd stopped by, but he wanted to meet me. I didn't know what to say.

"Yeah," I breathed out finally. "It can't be now though. I kind of have to eat."

"You have to eat?" he asked awkwardly.

"I've been puking my guts out and I'm starving. I need to eat. Don't judge me," I growled.

"Alright, alright," he surrendered. "When then? I have to be back by nine."

"Can't you get some sort of pass?" I asked, this was, after all, our potential futures we were going to discuss.

"Not tonight," he said curtly. "I have to do…something."

I rolled my eyes. Once again, his lack of responsibility was apparent to me. "Well then meet me outside Henley at six."

"I'll be there." And then click. No more Charlie. Not even a 'good-bye'.

I walked, disgruntled, to the dining hall, searching out Terry. I plopped down beside her and she leaned over the table to stare at me. "What?" I snapped.

Terry raised an eyebrow. "What is wrong with you?" she asked seriously, not angrily.

I sighed and looked away, grabbing a rather large portion of mashed potatoes and shoving my mouth full. "Boys," I replied through the food.

Terry smiled knowingly, except that she completely did not know anything about what I was going through, and nodded her head, dropping the subject, expecting I would gush to her later. Which I wouldn't.

Six o'clock rolled around much too fast for my liking and for once I felt like vomiting without the help of morning sickness. Terry was with her crowd of followers so I snuck out of the study session and crept out the front door, thinking I would grab a bench and wait for Charlie to show. But he was already there, taking a drag from his cigarette. I swatted the air around my face. "Ew," I remarked. "Put that out."

Charlie smirked, raising an eyebrow. "Why?" he asked, deliberately blowing the smoke in my direction.

"Because the smell is making me nauseous," I replied honestly, "So unless you want me to barf on your shoes I suggest you comply."

Charlie laughed, taking one last drag and throwing the cigarette to the ground. "C'mon," he said, extending his arm. "Let's walk."

"I'd rather just sit," I said. Walking meant scenery changes, which meant distractions, which meant we wouldn't be able to stay on topic.

"Oh c'mon Ariel," Charlie snorted. "Soon you won't be able to walk, you'll just be able to waddle around and you'll regret you didn't take this chance to walk around on such a lovely evening. Carpe diem."

"Do you even know what that means?" I asked skeptically. I knew Charlie wasn't stupid, but still.

Charlie smirked, coming closer and whispered in my ear. "Seize the day."

Chills ran up and down my spine as I felt his breath on my neck, causing me to gulp. Charlie stepped back, smiling crookedly, knowing the effect he had on women. I grit my teeth. "Fine," I agreed.

He cocked his head and grinned. "Great," he replied, once again offering up his arm. I stared at it cautiously. "I'm not gonna bite you." Then he added, "Unless you want me to."

I rolled my eyes. "I can't believe I fell for you," I sneered before relenting and taking his arm.

"Neither do I," Charlie began with a bitter tint to his words, "I mean, you, Ariel Duchamp, are just so much better than me."

"I never said any such thing," I huffed. "I simply meant that you are hideously vulgar and perverse and—"

"And you thought you were somehow immune to that?" Charlie chuckled. "No girl is immune to me, even if they say they are."

"You are so full of yourself," I pointed out.

"Ah," Charlie nodded, "And you are full of me too."

My jaw dropped. "Just a part of you!" I wanted to yell, but I kept my voice low.

Charlie smirked, "Would you like another part of me to fill you again?"

"As I said," steam literally coming out of my ears, "Vulgar." And yet deep down there was this little part of me that wanted to shout 'Yes!' and I did not know why. But that little part of me needed to die.

"It brings us to the point at hand though," Charlie used as an excuse.

I agreed, bobbing my head in acknowledgment, "So, why did you come visit me?"

"Knox made me," Charlie stated, staring straight ahead.

"What?" I was furious. "You came all this way to meet me just to say that Knox made you come and visit me?"

"Well…"

"No! You can't just say that. You can't do that to me, do you even know what I'm going through right now? I've been sick for the past couple weeks and people are acting weird around me and—"

"Oh please," Charlie scoffed, almost jerking his arm away, but thinking better of it. "Go stand on a desk."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked loudly, coming to a halt and staring him down.

"It means," he explained as if I were stupid, "That you should try seeing things from a different perspective Ariel, you're not the only one who's going to land in a lot of trouble when this all comes to light."

I was taken aback. So Charlie really _was_ worried. "I never…"

"Never what? Thought that I was capable of thinking of others? Well guess what Ariel, I am," he growled, stepping closer to me. I pursed my lips nervously, those butterflies in my stomach taking flight again. I gulped, because Charlie was leaning in closer to me. "Tell me something Ariel," he whispered, "Have you ever done anything for yourself in your entire life?"

Well that was an odd question. He had just told me to think of someone else, and now he was asking me if I had ever done anything for myself. "I don't understand," I breathed out unsteadily as he stared me straight in the eyes, his gaze never relenting.

"Just because all you think about is yourself doesn't mean you've ever done anything you've wanted to," Charlie replied. "I want to know what you've ever done that you truly wanted to do."

I blinked. "Well, of course," I supposed. There had to have been something in my life I had consciously done for my liking.

"Name a few," he challenged.

I squinted up at him, wondering how serious he was. "I…I go to parties…"

Charlie snorted, "Because Terry tows you along. Trust me, I remember, you were not there because you wanted to be."

I bit my lip. "Well…"

"What do you _want_?" he asked, looking as if he was about to shake me.

I had no idea what the point of this conversation was, but at that moment I knew I wanted to kiss Charlie Dalton. Why? I couldn't answer that. But I knew I couldn't kiss him. I just couldn't. I gulped. "I want to…"

He nodded expectantly, "Yeah?"

I looked away, at the trees, at the ground, anything but his eyes. "I need to get back to Henley," I finally got out.

Charlie took a step back, removing his beret and dragging his fingers through his hair, making it stick on end in the most adorable way. "Then I can't tell you why I showed up the other day," he confessed.

My eyebrows knit together, "What? I thought Knox _made_ you." But he turned away, back in the direction of Henley. "Charlie, wait, what does that _mean_?"

He smirked, "Nothing Cootie, nothing."

I stared at him incredulously, "How do you know my name?"

"How did you know my name?" he snorted.

"I'm Cameron's cousin," I insisted.

"Oh, and you've never heard it anywhere else?" he questioned.

I licked my lips, "Well, you have quite the reputation."

"I do, don't I," he grinned, almost pleased, "but so do you."

"Yeah, thanks to you—"

"No Ariel," he shook his head. "People know you because people know Terry and you two are always together. You're like her sidekick or something."

"There's nothing wrong with that," I insisted.

Charlie shrugged, "Never said there was, just saying that I knew of you." We hadn't walked far, and so we had already arrived back at Henley. "This is where I leave you, Ms. Duchamp." He was already back to himself after being so intense just a few minutes ago about what I wanted. I was still confused by what he wanted out of me, what he had needed to hear me say, and why he couldn't tell me his real reason for making his way to Henley a few days earlier.

I nodded. "Good-bye Charlie."

I reached for the door handle and tugged the door open. "Good-bye Ariel. Oh, by the way," he stopped, and I paused, looking back at his retreating, grinning figure, "I've always like sidekicks better."

* * *

**Author's Note:** God I love Charlie :) Thanks for reading!


	7. Caving

**Author's Note:** Thank God for Winter Break! Finals are over *insert joyous scream here*! So here is another chapter :) Also, I'm way pumped for Daybreakers! Starring a grown up vampire Todd with a super good looking brother. And guess what! Their last name is Dalton! I was blown away when I found this out...anyway...on with the story!

**Disclaimer:** I wish.

* * *

"What was that?"

Terry had me cornered in the library later that evening. "What was what?" I asked as innocently as possible, scanning the books on the shelf next to me. Out of the corner of my eye I could see her place her hands on her hips, knowing she was going to have to press harder to get anything out of me.

"You know what I mean, Cootie. What were you doing with Charlie Dalton? You know he's bad news," she warned me. Oh, yes, I do know he's bad news Terry, trust me.

"He's not as bad as you think," I found myself saying in Charlie's defense, even if it was in a rather quiet voice. Where did _that_ come from? I was usually always passive and agreeable when it came to pretty much everything.

Terry raised an eyebrow. "I heard a rumor that he got some girl…" she glanced around warily and dropped her voice low, stepping a little closer, "…pregnant."

I gulped. Who the hell let that slip? I knew it wasn't Cameron, because if he had been the one to tell, everyone would know the names, the date, and the place, and it would not be pegged as a rumor, it would be carved in stone.

"I'm just worried for you Coot," she explained, back to examining her nails casually. "I don't want to see you getting into anything you can't handle."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, anger rising slowly inside of me. The way she had said her last sentence made it sound like I was a toddler unable to do anything.

Terry shrugged. "Oh, just that you're kind of fragile…"

"I'm what?" Now my rage was coming to a boil. I was _not_ fragile. In fact, I was like the base upon which Terry stood, whenever she broke down I was the one there to catch her, and, so far, I had never broke down to her about anything. I decided to point out her ridiculous notion. "This coming from the girl who can't even stand being in the same room as a lab rat?"

"Although I would put Charlie Dalton and rats in the same category, there _is_ a difference, Coot," Terry replied patiently. "The actual rodent won't put a bun in your oven, whereas, the other rat will." She flicked some paint that chipped off her nail to the ground.

My nostrils flared. "I doubt Charlie actually intended for that girl to get…you know…"

Terry snorted. "You still shouldn't hang around him. He should be out there supporting whoever it is he knocked up."

I grit my teeth. "I have to go study for a test tomorrow," I ground out, swiftly passing by a confused Terry and heading in the direction of the dorms.

"Tomorrow is Saturday Cootie!" she yelled after me, but I just kept walking.

*

"Ugh," I groaned, "What is it Caroline?"

My roommate was hovering over me eerily, staring down into my face. "You have a visitor."

I rubbed at my eyes. "What time is it?"

Caroline reached over and grabbed my clock, shoving it in my face. It was a little past eleven at night. I now noticed the agitated edge to Caroline's voice as she informed me that Charlie Dalton had been throwing stones at the window loud enough to wake her, and not I, out of her slumber. "Go smooth his feathers, and don't get caught." She growled, then decided to add, "Did you hear, he got a couple of girls preggers…so be careful."

My jaw dropped. "A couple?" This rumor was getting ridiculous.

Caroline nodded, "That's what I heard through the grapevine."

I rolled my eyes and grabbed a coat before slipping on some shoes. Stepping out into the chilly night I wrapped my arms tightly around myself to conserve heat. "Charlie?" I whispered hoarsely as loud as I dared. I had never snuck out by myself before, least of all to meet a boy. Specifically one that had impregnated me.

"Hey!" his voice replied from behind me, making me jump around in surprise, the scream getting caught in my throat as I saw him standing before me in his pajama pants, a tight white t-shirt, which left nothing to the imagination, not that I'm complaining, and his navy blue school coat. He smirked at my startled face. "C'mon, I wanna show you something." He turned and walked in the direction he had come from.

I scrunched my eyebrows together in question. "Wait, what are you doing?" I called softly, scurrying to catch up to him.

Charlie didn't even look back to reply, "Just follow me."

"I am," I grumbled to myself, not sure what I had gotten myself into. We walked in silence for quite some time before I spoke up again. "Are we almost there?"

"Who says we're going anywhere?" Charlie chuckled.

My eyes widened. We had reached the beginning of the woods and I was pretty sure my mother had warned me not to follow strange boys into the woods, or something like that. "Charlie, I'm tired and cranky, I just want to sleep. We best be going somewhere."

Charlie turned to grin at me. "Cool it, of course I've got somewhere for us to go," and then he stepped past the tree line.

I exhaled to calm my nerves and proceeded in his footsteps. "Seriously Charlie, this is getting ridiculous. I don't even know how late it is now, but we've been walking for ages and—" I had looked down at my feet for just one instant, and now, looking around, I realized that I had no idea where Charlie was. All I could see was the trees swaying as the wind danced through their browning leaves. I gulped, afraid of the dark. "Charlie," I hissed, hoping he was nearby.

There was a rustling to my right, and I glanced over to see a gaping dark hole, then, out popped Charlie's head. "Right here," he assured me, reaching out for my hand. I took it and he pulled me into a small cave, decked out with a rather odd looking lamp and a burnt out fire that Charlie was trying to coax to life.

I looked around, examining. "What is this place?" I questioned, turning slightly to look at it from all angles. The moon's glow was seeping in through the hole at the top of the cave, casting shadows all around.

"This," Charlie began, blowing on the small sparks that were beginning to appear before him, "Is the Charlie Dalton Cave of Passionate Experimentation."

I raised my eyebrow and smiled over at him. "Is that a joke?"

"Nope."

I laughed. "So what do you do here? Bring around girls to get them to swoon at your amazing outdoorsy talent?" For the fire was turning out to be a bust, so I crept over and blew down on the pile of tinder to help.

I could hear Charlie gulp slightly, and then snicker. "Nah, the guys and I come out here every now and then, just to mess around."

"And experiment," I jabbed at the name of the cave.

Charlie gave me a serious look. "No," he defended himself, "Though there was this one time and I'm not exactly sure what Meeks was trying to do…"

I burst out laughing at this, causing the tiny flame that we had been able to ignite to go out once again. "Good job," Charlie praised irritably.

I sighed, out of breath from laughing. "Sorry," I choked out between silent fits of giggles. "But really, why are we here?"

Charlie sat back, giving up on the fire for now, and looked at me, a gleam in his eyes I had never seen before, and I couldn't detect what it meant. "I know that sometimes I just want to get away from the world," he said softly, "And I can't imagine what it's going to be like when everything comes out." He stared down at the cold stone floor. "I just want you to know that you can always come here if you want to escape for a little while." He glanced back up at me, an almost shy expression across his face, before a look of mischief entered his eyes. "Or you could call me and we could meet up and partake in some passionate experimentation." He smirked.

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks, but I doubt I'll take you up on that last offer. It didn't turn out so well the first time." I gestured to my stomach. "God I'm beginning to look like a cow."

"No you're not," Charlie said sternly, scooting closer. "No one can even notice, Ariel."

I snorted. "Right."

"Even if they could, what would it matter?" he asked. "You're the best looking girl in all of Henley Hall."

My head snapped up. "What?"

Charlie averted his eyes. "Nothing."

"Did you just ask why it would matter if people could see my bulging belly?" I almost yelled. "First, people would then know about my situation; second, I don't want to get any bigger than I already am; third—"

"Ariel!" Charlie growled. "I just told you that you were the most beautiful girl at Henley Hall."

"—my parents would find out." I stopped. Had I heard him correctly?

Charlie licked his lips. "I know you don't think you're much," he whispered. "But I chose you out of all the girls at that party to be with."

So, it started out as a caring gesture, and then it turned into you-are-so-lucky-I-chose-you. My mouth dropped open, yet again, and I was about to smack him verbally when he held his hand up to stop me.

"That came out wrong," he admitted. "What I was trying to get at was I didn't want to be with any other girl. I wanted you. And not just because you were the prettiest, but because you weren't like the rest of them. Sure, you follow Terry around like a lost lamb, but you're different." Charlie was now close enough that our sides were touching, and he leaned in, bringing his face down to mine.

And then I turned away. I wanted to slap myself across the face. Charlie was trying to kiss me and I turn away. What kind of an idiot am I? "I think I should get back. Caroline's probably worried." This was a total lie. Caroline was probably snoring up a storm and keeping the girls in the rooms around us wide awake with her volume.

Charlie ran a hand through his hair, making it look absolutely irresistible. "Right," he breathed out.

I hopped up from my spot, exiting the cave with speed I was unaware I possessed, and then waited for Charlie. He trudged in front of me the entire time, not saying a word, and the guilt and discomfort was growing inside me with every step. I couldn't understand myself. I like him; he wanted to kiss me; I wanted to kiss him; so, what was my problem?

He escorted me all the way up to the door, a solemn look on his face as he began to walk backwards and in the direction of Welton. "Good night Ariel."

I bit my lip, watching him for a split second, afraid to loose him forever, and right as he was starting to turn I cried, "Charlie." He tilted his head, waiting for my next words. "I…" I gulped, not sure if I wanted to take the leap. "I know what I want." Charlie's eyes darted up to my own, but his emotions were still masked. I licked my lips. "I want you to kiss me."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Pretty sure I am in love with a fictional character. I want a Charlie Dalton for Christmas. Seriously, Santa can just drop him off in my stocking or something. Ya know what would be sweet? Dead Poet Action Figures. That's be really cool...

Thanks for reading! Reviews are always appreciated :)


	8. A Rendezvous Gone Wrong

**Author's Note:** Chapter Eight...where things get rocky.

Thanks so much for the reviews! You guys are so awesome!

**Disclaimer:** Ariel, Terry, Caroline, and the Dragon are mine

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The way he wraps his arms around my waist, dragging me close and engulfing me in his body heat, makes my heartbeat quicken with anticipation for his lips to be on mine. And he delivers, as I knew he would. My hands go immediately to his hair. I'm obsessed with that hair, the way that it can be so easily mussed out of place amazes and fascinates and captivates me and makes me want to tangle my fingers in it forever, if only to mess it up more. He pulls away for a split second to smirk and whisper, "I knew you'd come around," before diving in once more. He bites my bottom lip, not asking, but demanding for entrance that I gladly allow. Kissing Charlie Dalton under the stars is the most amazing feeling in the entire world, except for maybe one other thing with Charlie Dalton…

But being caught by Terry is like a cataclysmic event. "What the _fuck_ is going on?"

I have no idea what Terry is doing up so late, probably sneaking a smoke, but the acidic tone in her voice and the murderous glint in her eyes are enough to make my blood run cold. "Terry," I whisper in surprise as she advances upon us. Charlie's arms are still casually wrapped around my hips as he smirks in her direction.

"Well Clyde, I never would've guessed you'd be the one to catch us," he sneers. "But I did suspect you'd be unhappy about the situation."

Terry shoves him directly in the chest, causing him to fall back a few steps, his smirk never faltering. "You are not permitted to call me that, Dalton." She pushed him again, but Charlie stood his ground this time, cocking his head to the side and raising his eyebrow to annoy her. "Stop messing with Ariel as well," she hissed.

Now I was confused. I knew Terry cared about my well being, and I knew she thought Charlie was a bad influence, but I had no idea she was _this_ opposed to the boy. I also knew there had to be a deeper motivation behind Terry's apparent dislike, because Terry didn't hate people for no reason, she just wasn't like that.

"Who said I was messing with her?" Charlie asked, although it didn't appear as if he was being serious, considering his grin grew with Terry's anger.

Terry let out a fake laugh and ogled Charlie with doubtful eyes. "Who don't you mess with?" she scoffed.

For one moment Charlie's cool demeanor faltered, and in that instant I wanted to know the truth. Because it was obvious that something I had never been informed of had transpired between them, and I wanted, no, _needed_, to know what it was. Charlie opened his mouth to reply but I interrupted loudly, "Stop! What is going on?"

"It's nothing, Coot," Terry shot at me, not bothering to take her eyes off of the Welton student before us.

"No," I said, finally stepping up, "Don't 'nothing Cootie' me. I've taken that for years, but not now. I want the truth, and I'm going to get it if I have to tie both of you to a tree and beat it out of you."

"Kinky," Charlie chortled approvingly.

"That's not what I meant," I snapped with enough venom to keep him from saying anything more on the topic. I turned to Terry, who was breathing heavily, her shoulders moving rapidly up and down, as she glared in Charlie's direction. "Now talk," I ordered, the first time I had ever told her to do anything.

She licked her lips. "Why don't you let lover boy tell you?" she sneered.

"Because I want to hear it from both of you, dammit!" This caught her attention. I rarely cursed. I had been raised with the theory that if I did anything bad, including swearing, God wouldn't let me into his heavenly kingdom. Bull shit. I was already pregnant, so what the hell.

Terry's mouth was slightly agape, staring at me in disbelief. "Alright," she relented. She glanced over at Charlie before returning her gaze to me and continuing, "Freshman year, you remember that Christmas party we went to?" I nodded, how could I forget? Some creep called Mutt Sanders had tried to feel me up multiple times and I couldn't find Terry to tell her we needed to exit the scene. And then it hit me like a semi without breaks. My eyes widened and my neck snapped between my best friend and the father of my child. Terry wasn't looking at me and Charlie was attempting to stab Terry with his eyes. "You knew I was with a guy," Terry explained, trying to make it sound as if I had somehow subconsciously known. "You just didn't know what guy I was with."

"It wasn't a big deal," Charlie cut in, stepping forward.

"It was to me!" Terry shrieked.

A light flickered on inside the dorm. "Shh," I warned, glancing back and forth between the building and my feuding friends.

"Don't 'shh' me Ariel," Terry growled before spinning to face Charlie, who looked about ready to jump the boat, "It was my first time. You promised we'd be together, for real."

Charlie raised an eyebrow. "I was young," he defended himself, "Not to mention drunk. How was I to know that every girl was going to want to be with me?" He puffed his chest out a little at the thought.

I narrowed my eyes and sarcastically let him know, "I don't think that helped much."

Terry turned to me. "Do you see why I don't want you being around him? He'll use you and then just drop you." She grimaced at Charlie. "You can't believe anything he says. He's like a disease."

"Ouch," Charlie snickered, placing his hand over his heart dramatically.

Another light turned on inside the dorm, followed by three more. "Um…" I tried to get their attention, but they were too busy verbally sparring to pay any mind to me.

"You are! You infect girls with your charm and then leave them for dead," Terry reasoned, her volume raising.

"Well, unlike with _you_," Charlie retaliated, "I actually care about Ariel."

Terry laughed wildly as a few more windows glowed to life. "Cut the gas," I hissed at the two of them, wishing they would just shut their mouths. Lady luck was not on my side that evening though.

"You only care about Ariel until you two play backseat bingo, and then, like with the rest, you'll drop her flat," Terry hypothesized.

Charlie smirked. "If only you knew," he replied in a low voice, as if threatening.

This shut Terry's mouth and she heatedly rounded on me, "What does he mean by that?" Her eyes were dark holes as she slowly crept towards me.

I gulped. Great, my pregnancy was going to be announced in the middle of the night to my best friend and whoever was awake in the dorm.

"It doesn't _mean_ anything Terry," Charlie saved me, "It was just a way to get under your skin."

Thankfully, Terry took his word, believing me to be too much of a goody-good to actually do anything with a boy. And really, that was usually the case. Charlie Dalton was a fluke in my timeline of boys. Typically I ran in the opposite direction the moment any guy showed interest in me, but Charlie had had a different effect. I could see where Terry got her reasoning from.

"Just go to hell," Terry finally dismissed.

Charlie tipped an imaginary hat at me and gave Terry a dark look, "That's where I was heading." With that, he turned to vacate the area, a wise idea considering the amount of students now awake.

Terry placed her hands on her hips. "I warned you Cooter," she said. For the first time she looked up and noticed the windows blazing with light. "Good job," she grumbled as she pushed past me and back inside.

I bit my lip, standing in the cold with nothing but the memories of what had previously been a magical moment. The fact that the Dragon was probably up and roaming the halls, searching for empty beds, didn't register until I heard the door creak open again and Terry's voice crying, "I caught her out here with _Charlie Dalton_." I spun to stare at my friend in horror. Terry was selling me out because Charlie was now interested in me. Shit. "They were…they were…oh, I just can't say." Stupid Terry and her stupid acting lessons.

The Dragon clasped my arm and dragged me inside. "The headmistress is not going to be happy having to deal with you tomorrow about this matter."

I snickered, raising an eyebrow. "And I supposed you're not too thrilled either?" I asked sarcastically. Terry and the Dragon were so taken aback by my sass that neither of them said a word until the Dragon began yelling at girls whose heads were popping out of their dorms to find out what was going on. "Back to bed with the lot of you!"

Terry retreated to her room, which was a few doors before mine, and Mrs. Draggin deposited me at my dorm. "You better get some sleep," she advised, "Because tomorrow morning you're the first thing on Headmistress Quarry's list of things to deal with."

I pursed my lips and slammed the door once she had walked away. I turned to face my bed and realized the lights in my room were off. Glancing over at Caroline with a peculiar look I realized she was still snoring. That girl was definitely odd.

I walked slowly to the window, and there, in the distance, I could see Charlie making his way back to Welton. Despite the facts that my best friend hated me, the majority of the school knew about the outburst between Terry and Charlie, and that I was going to be in very hot water the next morning, I smiled, placing my fingers against my mouth where I could still slightly feel the pressure of Charlie's lips if I thought hard enough.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Terry and Charlie? Ew. Ariel and Charlie? Yay! Getting Charlie for Christmas? Priceless.

Thanks for reading :) Reviews are greatly appreciated!


	9. Walking Away

**Author's Note:** Well this chapter took a little longer than I thought it was going to take to write. Dunno why, but it's here now, and that's the important thing :) So thank you for your reviews and enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Ditto to the last eight

* * *

Headmistress Quarry alerted my parents, but besides that my repercussions were far and few considering she was having trouble concentrating on my misbehavior due to the fact that a pyromaniac sophomore had set the kitchens on fire for the fourth time that semester. And it was only just November. Thanksgiving break hadn't even begun. So, with a slap on the wrists and the one phone call to my parentals, I was out of the office and on my way to pack my things for the short break that was nearing.

As I was folding up my articles of clothing Terry popped her head in the room and asked, "Are you ready yet?" as if everything that had come to pass actually hadn't.

I slowly turned her way to double check that she was talking to me, and when her eyes stared directly into mine it was affirmative that she was addressing me. "Ready for what?" I asked, confused. I was definitely ready for this recess from Henley and my crazy peers, including Terry and Charlie. I wasn't yet packed, which was obvious, so I had no idea what Terry was referring to.

Terry rolled her eyes. "For the party at the Danbury's, Coot. Did you forget about it?"

Caroline gasped quietly from where she was sitting on her bed, reading a book. Caroline was more of a goody-good than even I was. She absolutely abhorred anything that had to do with breaking rules of any kind, even if it was just jaywalking, which I must admit I committed quite a bit of. Terry gave her a withering glance and then returned her questioning gaze to me. "I don't know…" I began, trying to think of some excuse that would get her off my back. The thing about Terry is that she didn't hold grudges for long, or at least didn't let it show, because I knew she was still miffed about the whole Charlie incident.

Terry smirked, "You have until Wednesday to pack for Thanksgiving, and I know you don't have any unfinished homework."

I sighed, thinking of all of Chet's drunk friends acting like idiots, and Chris, smiling so kindly, so fake, when she would see us. The last time we had gone to one of Chet's parties I got impregnated…so why wouldn't I want to go to another one? Come to think of it, I had no clue how Charlie had even squirmed his way into that party. Chet and the gang didn't take to kindly to the Welton boys usually. But Charlie had never let someone's dislike stop him before, and I suppose a party was no different from anything else.

I nodded, relenting to Terry's superiority. God I was such a wimp. "Good," Terry positively beamed. "Now hurry up! I'll be in my room." And she bounced down the hall, most likely to check and see how beautiful she looked.

Caroline clicked her tongue disapprovingly from where she sat. I glared in her direction, more mad at myself than anyone else, and spat, "Oh, put a sock in it," before shoving one of my shirts in my suitcase.

*

The party was in full swing mode by the time we arrived, Terry glowing with excitement. She enjoyed the feeling of being completely out of control that alcohol gave her. She reveled in the chaos it created. Well. Lucky her.

A red cup was shoved into my hand almost immediately. Terry clinked hers against mine, her signature way of toasting the two of us. I grinned cheesily as she lifted the cup to her lips and began to down the whole thing, and when she closed her eyes I quickly quirked my cup to the side, pouring it's contents into the plastic houseplant we were standing beside. Terry tilted her head back up and, thinking she had heard someone vomiting rather than a drink being spilled, exclaimed, "Sounds like someone's already had enough." Then she giggled, grabbed my wrist and dragged me back to where the drinks were.

She hastily, not to mention sloppily, refilled my drink, and then took a pull out of a random bottle of amber liquid. I eyed her up and down oddly. Sure, Terry enjoyed a good party as much as the next person, and yes, she did get tipsy after just one beer, but it seemed to me that tonight she was drinking to get drunk, to escape from what reality held for her. Which, guessing from the problematic scenario of the night before, had to do with the fact that for the first time in her life a boy was interested in me instead of her. Terry was not used to that, nor was I. Fueling Terry's flames was the awkward knowledge that she had lost her virginity to the father of my child…not that Terry knew that last part, but still.

As Terry was scavenging around for yet another drink I surveyed the area and spied Knox, over by the sink, being hassled by two beefy, idiotic looking football players. I laughed inwardly when poor Knox downed his second shot in an attempt to fit in. He looked about to explode. Or possibly breathe fire.

"What?" Terry snapped, noticing the bemused expression on my face. I glanced at her with tired eyes. There was no need for me to be here. Terry could take care of herself, and if she couldn't, I was certain she would not be lacking in willing volunteers once she batted her overdone eyelashes.

I shrugged. "Nothing, just Knox," I replied quietly, nodding in the direction of where Knox was now loosening his tie.

Terry blinked a few times, widening her eyes and trying to focus on the opposite side of the room. "Knox? Who the hell is Knox? What kind of name is Knox?"

I sighed. Couldn't Terry have dragged another friend along with her to this party? And then I stopped in my tracks. Well, my thought's tracks. That was the first time I had ever questioned, internally or outwardly, Terry's choice of bringing me along. Something inside of me clicked and I realized, with me by her side, there was no opposing force. I was passive and stood aside, never wanting to be in the spotlight or to be the center of anything. With me next to her, Terry was a shining star, beautiful and radiant. Terry needed me there in order to make her look like something special, and without me, she would just be another dumb drunk girl stumbling around. "Knox," I began, trying to think of an appropriate term for the boy, "is…a friend. And it's a damn hip name as well!"

The last thing I remember of Terry that night is her calling my name desperately as I walked away from her. I had lost sight of Knox, didn't feel like searching for him, and decided that it was time I vacated the premises. I was in no mood to go back to the dorm and listen to Caroline's snores, and really had nowhere else to go, when Charlie's words popped into my head. I could always go to the cave. I cocked an eyebrow, debating this little tidbit. Did I even remember how to get back to the cave? I smirked. Why not try?

I retraced my steps back to Henley and then, to the best of my knowledge, followed in Charlie's footprints in the direction, I hoped, the cave was in. I remembered walking quite a long distance, but the fact that the last time I had been brought this way I was bored out of my mind and not really paying attention weighed in on the timing. But finally I saw what looked to be a familiar mini mountain of rocks and made my way through the trees and underbrush towards it. There was a glow leaking out from the inside and smoke was wafting lazily out the top.

I had an inkling to turn tail right then, knowing someone was already occupying the cave, when Charlie's distinctive voice came floating to my ears. Poetry. He was reciting poetry. I inched closer. It was Shakespeare. We had gone over poetry a few weeks ago and Shakespeare had enchanted me, however cliché that may sound. In a way, I could relate to Romeo and Juliet, if you subtract the part that they loved each other. But maybe liking each other, as Charlie and I did, could be a start.

It was at the moment that last thought was crossing my mind that I heard Charlie say, "I wrote that just for you," then a girl's giggling and, "I'll write one for you too, Gloria." 'Too' meant there was more than one. And yeah, Charlie and I weren't exactly going steady, but I was having his baby for God's sake, couldn't he maybe control himself for a little bit? Or at least reign himself in to one girl? Charlie began to recite another verse of poetry but I turned around in disgust and rushed out of the woods.

As I was walking around, silently fuming, and still not wanting to return to Caroline and the stuffy dorms, I noticed a dark figure, slightly stumbling, underneath a street light. My breath caught in my throat. I had always been paranoid of the dark, and although streetlamps helped, they didn't exactly offer the comfort and security of a locked door and hiding under bed covers. Another thing I had been paranoid of was strange men wobbling around. As I was about to duck and run, the stranger let out a yell. "Ariel?!"

I squinted my eyes to get a clearer look at the man coming towards me. For a second I thought it was Mutt Sanders, come back to town for a night of drinks. Adrenaline shot through my legs as my body subconsciously prepared to run, when the boy stepped directly into the light. "Knox?" I laughed, relieved. I was in no way afraid of Knox Overstreet. "What are you doing?"

Knox grinned. "Well, I was at a party at the Danbury's—"

"Yeah," I nodded, "I saw you there."

Knox's forehead crinkled in mild hurt. "Why didn't you come say hello?"

I blinked, surprised at how he seemed genuinely depressed at the idea that I hadn't wanted to talk to him. "Oh, well, you were with a few football players…and I was kind of watching over Terry…I didn't stay long…" I had begun to ramble when Knox's grin returned to his face. "What?"

"I got into it with Chet," Knox boasted out of nowhere.

My mind had to do a double-take. Knox Overstreet had got into a fight with Chet Danbury. I didn't know whether to be impressed or if I should have slapped him for his stupidity. "Are you serious?" I finally took a good look at him, stepping closer and noticed some dried blood that looked as if it had dripped from his nose. "Knox! I never took you for the fighting type…"

Knox glanced down at the sidewalk, a blush visibly appearing on his cheeks. "Well," he began to admit, "I didn't really _fight_ him…that is to say...I more or less was his punching bag…"

I cocked my head. "Well," I stated, "If you'd like, you can come back to Henley with me and I can clean you up and send you on your way."

Knox shrugged. "That's very kind of you Ariel, but I oughtta get back to Welton," he nervously replied. A shadow passed over my face as I remembered what I had just discovered about Knox's best friend.

"Oh," I breathed out, slightly deflated, "I understand."

Perking up a bit Knox hastily blurted, "But if you'd like I can accompany you back to Henley. You know, make sure you get there in one piece and whatnot."

I smiled as he offered up his arm to me, so much like Charlie had less than two days ago, yet so different in so many ways. "Knox," I said, a glow rushing to my cheeks as I realized that there actually were decent male specimen on the planet, even if they were just meant to be your friends, "I would love it if you escorted me back to Henley."

As I looped my arm with his, he grinned once more, "This way m'lady."

* * *

**Author's Note:** Oh Charlie, Charlie, and oh Knoxy! I love Knox, he always sort of reminded me of a teddy bear that I just wanted to engulf in a hug :) Also, Ariel's Thanksgiving break is going to prove to be quite entertaining. Tee hee.


	10. Certifiably Insane

**Author's Note:** Well, this chapter took longer than expected to add, see, taking classes over break seems like a good idea at first...but then once the class begins, it seems like the worst idea ever! Thanks for all the reviews :)

**Disclaimer:** Ariel and her family are figments of my imagination

* * *

Five days later on the last day before Thanksgiving break I was hauling my trunk down the stairs of the dormitory when Terry stopped me. "You've been avoiding me," she accurately accused.

I set my jaw and glanced to the side. "Yes, well," I began, not exactly sure what to say to her. "Have a nice Thanksgiving." I grinned broadly and shoved my way past her; if she didn't shut her mouth soon a bug might fly in.

It's not that I didn't want to be friends with Terry anymore; after all, I didn't exactly have many other choices in that department. No, it was the fact that Charlie had been avoiding me, much the same way I was avoiding Terry. He couldn't possibly know that I had caught him in the cave with other girls, right? I mean, I wasn't even close enough to see inside, so there was no way he could have seen me outside in the darkness. I figured he had finally chickened out. Like Terry said he would. Apparently nothing could change Charlie Dalton and his habits.

As I dragged my trunk out into the afternoon sun and set it down, waiting for my father to pick me up, I surveyed the setting around me. Girls were running around to one another, hugging good-bye and promising to visit one another over the break, which, I should add, was only three days long. So while all of the best friends skipped around to bid their farewells, I stood motionless with my luggage. Absentmindedly I brought my hand up to my abdomen, feeling the small bump that was beginning to appear. It was easy to conceal, but it wouldn't be so easy in a few more weeks.

The honk of a car horn broke me from my thoughts and when I focused my eyes, there was Charlie, standing just across the courtyard, leaning against a stone wall with that signature smirk of his. I narrowed my eyes to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. What was he doing here? He should've been over at Welton preparing to leave himself. He tipped an imaginary hat like the last time I had seen him. I raised an eyebrow in confusion. The car honked again and I glanced around to see which of my peers was taking so long, and, seeing the grin on my father's face as he leaned out the window to yell my name, figured out that it was _me._ I spun my head quickly to get a last look at Charlie before my departure, but he had already left. I bit my lip and grabbed up my bags, throwing them into the trunk of our car.

*

Thanksgiving was a time when you were meant to be thankful for your family and friends and the good fortune you had. Hence the thanks part in Thanksgiving. Needless to say, this year, I really didn't feel the need to give thanks to any higher power. I was not thankful for most of my extended family, considering Dick came right up to me when we arrived for Thanksgiving dinner and rudely muttered, "Looks like someone better watch their weight." Was I really supposed to be thankful for him? I was not thankful for the one friend I had, Terry, which it was actually questionable how long our friendship was going to last, thanks in part to me. And I was not thankful for my 'good fortune', which I wasn't having much, as of late.

I glared at my cousin. His nickname truly fit him. "At least I've always passed my classes with excellent marks," I said airily, sweeping past him, causing him to grimace.

Colleen, Richard's younger sister, came gliding out of the kitchen elegantly and hugged me. It was all for show. None of us really liked each other's company, but since we were the girls of the family, we banded together against Richard most of the time. Honestly, I had never known anyone to have as much contempt for their family as Colleen did. And that included me. Then again, who could blame her, she had to live not only with Dick, but with Aunt Fantasia and Uncle Sean. The woman was like a hurricane of rude mixed with a truckload of ego, and Uncle Sean was a sad excuse of a man, who, although he could stand his ground with any big businessman, couldn't even say a word against his wife. Ever. That man praised Aunt Fantasia and the ground she walked upon. I think it was mostly because he feared that if he didn't she might suffocate him with a pillow in his sleep or something. Aunt Fantasia was like that.

To prove my point, Aunt Fantasia came bustling out behind Colleen and regarded me with the eyes of a hawk. "That dress is looking a bit snug, Ariel, I suggest you get out and do something before you explode," were the first words out of her mouth. I could hear Richard snicker behind me and Colleen smile to herself, no doubt reveling in the fact that she had a perfect figure.

I attempted to sound genuine when I said, "It's so nice to see you," but I wasn't so good at lying. Aunt Fantasia sent me off to help Colleen bring out the trays of food, Richard following.

"You know," Colleen began to speak as if she were old and wise, "She's right, you are beginning to balloon a bit. Now, I understand that Henley's food isn't as healthy as Binchester's, but you really should watch the proportions you eat, because—" Yadda, yadda, yadda. I was not going to listen to my cousin go on about how she was at such a better school and how she was so much better looking and so much healthier. I continued to remind myself that in the next few hours I would be out of this house and able to just relax in my room at home with a book and think of ways to break the news to my parents that I was, indeed, with child…with their mortal enemy.

Turns out dear cousin Dick had other plans for me. Because as soon as we all sat together at the dinner table, everything in the exact place that it had to go, according to Aunt Fantasia, the goddess of table arrangements, Richard exclaimed, "Ariel's pregnant!"

Dick.

My eyes went wide. "Well…Richard nearly failed Physics last year!" I attempted to salvage something but, as Richard had stated when we first made the deal, our troubles were on completely different levels.

All eyes were on me as the muttering began throughout the family. My father, face burning, quieted them all. "And where is the boy?" he asked, trying his best to keep cool.

"It's Charlie Dalton," Richard spewed.

I gulped, I had to think of something. My entire family was on the verge of burning me at the stake for taking part in such scandalous activity with a Dalton. What were my options? Being sent away...giving up the baby...marriage...marriage! "He's been meaning to ask you for my hand, Daddy, but he's just been so busy with his studies lately," I pleaded. If that didn't sound like the biggest piece of bull shit ever, I don't know what did.

"Charlie _Dalton_?" Aunt Fantasia inquired, trying to get this straight in her mind.

"A _Dalton_?" My mother squawked, not believing her ears. "Of all people."

"At least he has money," Colleen sniffed, turning up her nose. Well, at least she wasn't completely against me.

"_Dalton_ money," Uncle Sean spit out in disgust.

I growled. "It's the same money we have!"

I swear to God Richard was trying to ruin my life. "Did you know he snuck an unauthorized document into our school newspaper demanding that girls be allowed at Welton? Can you imagine, _girls _allowed into such a prestigious institute? Anyway, and then he proceeded to mock the headmaster. The nerve." And I don't know why, maybe it was the fact that good ole cousin Dick had angered me, maybe it was the mood swings, maybe Richard just deserved it, but for some reason I launched myself across the table, right over the bowl of mashed potatoes, grabbed him by his collar and wrestled him to the ground in front of the whole family. It's actually really amazing that Grandad didn't have a heart attack right then and there.

Dick was squawking like a chicken about to get it's head chopped off, clawing at my wrists in an attempt to free himself. "You good for nothing—" I was spurting out between wringing his neck and shoving his face into the carpet. This went on for a full five minutes while my parents and other relatives stared in horror at my outburst. It was as if they were transfixed and captivated by some spell that had been cast over them. How was I related to these people?

Colleen's high pitched cackle at what was happening to her brother erupted throughout the room, breaking the adults from their prior trance and prompting my father to grab me about the waist and rip me from a suffocating Richard. My father held me tight as I struggled to get another piece of Richard's hair for my soon-to-be voodoo doll as my cousin wheezed on the ground.

"I always knew your girl was going to get in trouble some day," Aunt Fantasia began, "You just don't know how to discipline do you?" She turned to my mom, her sister, and clucked her tongue.

"Oh please," I spat at my flabbergasted aunt. As I had said, no one spoke back to Fantasia the Fantastic. "We all know you were pregnant with Dick before you were properly married." Actually, not everyone knew this interesting tidbit, I had found it in her old diary when I was bored at their house one day and exploring the attic. I thought now would be a good idea to spill those beans. Or rather, I just felt like spilling them.

The blood in Aunt Fantasia's face drained, leaving her a deathly pale color. Uncle Sean whipped his head to stare at his wife in disbelief. "What?" Did I forget to mention that it was with another man?

My bitchy rebellion continued, set on destroying this ridiculously poor excuse of a family. "Of course it was with another man, the only reason she would marry you is because you were a push over," I explained, an evil glint in my eye. I had no idea where this was all coming from. Maybe the baby inside of me was actually an evil entity that sought the possession my body…it wasn't that farfetched of an idea when you remembered that Charlie Dalton was the father. That kid had to have some sort of evil power to get away with all he did. Turning to Colleen, who was politely covering her mouth, even though her guffaws could still be heard, and muttered, "And maybe you should eat something before you die." That effectively shut her up. Okay. That one was pretty harsh. But it was like I had gone certifiably insane. I had no control over my words.

Richard had finished his dramatic asthma attack and was now staring, wide-eyed, at his mother. "I think we best be going," my mother spoke finally. Aunt Fantasia barely nodded as Richard and Uncle Sean continued to glare in her direction.

My mother rose from the table, folding the napkin that had formerly adorned her lap, and lead the way out, my father corralling me over to the door. As we exited the house I could hear my granddad ask, "What did you say Richard?" Oh yeah…Grandad's deaf.

*

We sat in the idling car for a few minutes, my parents digesting the information of my condition. I was shocked when I saw my dad grinning to himself before he looked in the rearview mirror at me. I bit my lip. Tears were beginning to prick at my eyes. I was in deep and the only way to go was down. Turning in his seat to face me, my father set his hand gently on my knee. "At least one good thing has come from that big mouth of yours today," he said. I furrowed my brows and my mom's jaw fell open, no doubt wondering what good had come of today, "We're almost guaranteed to never be invited back."

And there went the water works as I smiled shakily and my dad engulfed me in a hug. My mother clucked her tongue. "Ben," she remarked, "that doesn't change the fact that our daughter is pregnant with your best friend's son."

I blinked. Best friend's son? My dad knew Charlie's dad?

"Yes, well, I'm definitely going to have to have a talk with Gary about this, especially if Charles is to become our son-in-law," my dad replied thoughtfully.

"Son-in-law?" I queried. Why was Charlie going to become their son-in-law…

"You did say he was waiting to ask for your hand in marriage, didn't you?" my mother remembered, glancing up at the roof of the car in thought.

My eyes widened. I had said that, hadn't I? Shit. "Oh, um, yes," I went along with it, "Of course…"

"I'll give Gary a ring tomorrow and see if there's a possibility of stopping over, to discuss options," my father assured my mother as she nodded, unconvinced.

I sat in the backseat, positive that my facial expression matched that of Aunt Fantasia's: pale and worried. What was Charlie going to say when my parents showed up at his house to meet their supposed future son-in-law?

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**Author's Note:** So that's that, and the word is out. Thanks in advance for any reviews you guys leave :)


	11. At the Dalton's

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! Sorry this chapter is so short and fillerish :( I've tried rewriting this chapter a few times, and never quite got it exactly where I wanted it...but at the moment it's the best/most realistic thing that came to mind.

**Disclaimer:** Charlie Dalton does not belong to me...

* * *

"Oh god, oh god, oh god," I muttered to myself, pacing around Charlie's bedroom.

My family had arrived an hour or so earlier, and the adults had sent Charlie and I to his room, as if we were bad children that needed a time out, which, looking at it from their perspective, I suppose we kind of were naughty kids.

"Would you just _sit down_ already?" Charlie asked, annoyance evident in his tone. I had been pacing since I had arrived, as he sat on the chair by his desk. "You're going to wear a hole in my floor."

I grimaced at him and continued to walk around in a determined fashion. He sighed loudly, running his fingers through his hair. "It's your own fault you know," he chided me.

I swiveled ferociously in his direction. "What did you just say?" He was not going to place all the blame on me.

"If you hadn't told your parents that I was going to propose, which is a completely ludicrous idea, I mean, look at me. Do I look like the kind of guy who is willing to get married? Anyway, if you hadn't done that, we wouldn't be sitting here right now, wondering what the hell kind of plan they're concocting for us," he pointed out.

I raised an eyebrow and placed one hand on my hip. "I wouldn't have had to have told them we were planning on getting married if you hadn't impregnated me, Charles." I wanted to strangle him, but I figured that my child would need a father figure, even if it was the notorious Charlie Dalton.

"I wouldn't have impregnated you if you hadn't slept with me," he retaliated, standing up from his seat.

Standing my ground, now with both hands on my hips, I replied, "Oh, and you didn't want that? What with all the drinks you continued to offer me?"

Charlie's face was getting red, not used to having someone argue against his logic without immediately backing down, "I wouldn't have offered you drinks if you hadn't continued to take them."

"And it never once crossed your mind that the only reason I continued to down drinks like a dehydrated camel was because I was maybe just a bit too gone to think straight?" I questioned, suddenly angry.

Charlie hesitated one second too long before replying, "No."

"You piece of shit," I grumbled, finally sitting down heavily on the bed.

Charlie stood in the middle of the room, thinking intently, by the look on his face. "Ariel, sure, maybe I did want to get in your pants, but you have to know, all that stuff I said the other day, about you being different from all of the other stuck ups, that holds true, too."

I smiled nastily. "I'm sure it does," I told him sarcastically, looking away.

"I'm just not ready to get married yet, Ariel, can't you understand that?" Charlie was getting desperate. He did not want to give up his bachelordom. This reminded me all the more of when I had stumbled upon him and his girls in the cave.

I chuckled, "And you think I do? I don't want to get married; I don't want to have a child; I don't want to be linked to you in any way." Surprisingly Charlie didn't seem hurt by the remark like I had expected, instead, he turned on his heel calmly and exited the room. "Hey!" I called after him, causing him to pop his head back in.

"Cool it," he assured me, "I'll be right back."

I furrowed my brow, wondering what had gotten into him so suddenly, when, after less than a minute, Charlie had returned. He caught up my left hand, holding up an old but stunning ring in front of my eyes. "You might want to put this on, you know, make our engagement seem a tad bit more realistic," he said, pressing it into my palm.

"Oh, right…thanks," I breathed out, staring down at the delicate piece of jewelry in my hand. It was silver, with a dark emerald in the middle, adorned on the sides with two small diamonds. "Charlie, it's beautiful."

Charlie, who was examining himself in the mirror, glanced up, "Hmm? Oh, the ring? Yeah, sure." Typical boy. "It was my grandmother's or something, I don't know exactly." The voice of his father calling for us to come down made him grimace at his own reflection. He spun on his heel to address me, offering up his arm in a gentlemanly fashion. Noticing I had not yet placed the ring on my proper finger he rolled his eyes and sighed. "Can't you even put on a ring without my help?" he queried with a smirk, plucking the ring from my fingertips and shoving it onto my ring finger. For a moment we stayed frozen in that position, him with his hand holding mine, now adorned with his grandmother's ring. My breathing came out labored and shallow at how close he was to me, and I mentally slapped myself for falling so fast once again. Charlie cleared his throat awkwardly, an odd thing for him, and scratched the back of his head. "Shall we?" he asked, taking my hand in his.

Slowly, we made our way down the staircase, dreading entering the sitting room and having to face our disapproving parents. Life was about to get even more complicated.

"…and when Charles becomes a banker he'll—oh! There you two are," Mr. Dalton altered from his original sentence. Charlie winced slightly, becoming a banker was the last thing on his free-spirited agenda. I squeezed his hand in reassurance, making him jump in surprise, not necessarily expecting my support.

Composing himself, Charlie grinned, holding up my left hand. "Is that my mother's ring?" his own mother cried in disbelief, aghast.

"Erm, yes," he confirmed, turning back to face our waiting fathers while his mother fanned herself with the newspaper, utterly at a loss for words that a family heirloom had been so swiftly given away. "Well," Charlie began, as if addressing a board of some kind, "As you all know, I planned on asking for your lovely daughter's hand in marriage." My father bobbed his head somberly, signaling for Charlie to continue. Clearing his throat, Charlie continued. "And so…I suppose…I'm asking for your permission."

Gary grunted back a chuckle. "That's a first," he remarked at Charlie asking for anything in his life rather than just taking it for his own.

Charlie glared at his father for about half a second before returning a serene and questioning gaze upon my father, who sat stock still and rigid, arm around my mother's waist. He licked his lips, mulling this over. He met my eyes with his own and inside I was battling between yelling "Say no!" and "Say yes!" Instead, I subtly nodded, knowing Charlie and I would find a way out of this soon.

Slowly, my dad's eyes wandered around the room, landing on my mother's pale face, whose own eyes were about to overflow with tears. I didn't know if this was a good sign or not. My mom always cried at big occasions. And this, I would have to say, was a pretty big occasion. I was after all not only her first born, or her only daughter, but, just plain, her only child.

Finally, looking back at the two of us, theatrically holding hands in an attempt to make our fake feelings appear real, my father opened his mouth and said, "Permission granted."

I breathed a sigh of relief. Things were going according to plan.

For now anyway.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Charlie getting married...wouldn't that be a sad day? Alas, he's a fictional character, so I suppose no one can have him anyway :( ha ha! Leave a review please!


	12. A Sort of Proposal and Spilled Beans

**Author's Note:** Sorry it took so long to get this chapter posted :( School has been kicking my buttox! Anyway, thanks so much for all the lovely reviews! Hope you enjoy this chapter. Also, I accidentally uploaded the incorrect Chapter 12 to this story, but this is the correct one, so sorry about the mix up!

**Disclaimer:** The Dead Poets are not mine, and although technically the name 'Mallory' doesn't belong to me either, the way she acts in this story does ;D

* * *

Leave it to Charlie to "help" our situation even more. Because, not even one minute after my father gave us permission to marry each other, Charlie opened his big gob and dropped a bomb on all of us.

"Actually," he began, dragging out the 'A' sound for as long as physically possible. "We're already married." My jaw dropped to the floor, along with both sets of parent's jaws. Charlie grinned, casually slinging his arm across my shoulders.

"What are you _doing_?" I hissed under my breath.

Charlie chuckled. "Honey," he cooed in my direction, "I know we didn't agree to tell them out and out like this, but I felt honesty was the best policy here." He smiled.

"Oh," Charlie's mother squeaked.

"Do _not_ call me 'honey'," I growled, utterly beyond belief. What on earth was Charlie doing? Our parents were going to expect proof. Certificates of some kind. They were going to go on a priest interviewing spree of some kind.

"You two," my mother began, looking suspiciously between us, "are already wed?"

Charlie grinned. "Yeah. So, if you'll excuse us for a second, I'd like to speak with my wife."

"Who says I want to speak with you?" I spat, then blushed at my outburst. Our mothers were gawking at the way I had spoken back to my 'husband', Charlie's dad was trying to make a laugh look like a sneeze, and my father was staring at me in disapproval. Stupid parents and their expectations.

Charlie smirked, then raised an eyebrow at our little crowd. "May we?" he asked cordially before escorting me back upstairs. He slammed the door shut after shoving me through the threshold.

Stumbling to a halt it took all of my restraint not to scream at the top of my lungs. So, instead, I spun on my heel and slapped Charles Dalton right across the face. His eyes grew to the shape of saucers in surprise. He had most likely never been smacked by a girl before, and it wasn't as if I went around slapping boys willy-nilly either. I hadn't even registered the thought to hit Charlie before my body impulsively reacted. I stared at my splayed fingers in disbelief.

Covering my mouth with both hands in shock I gasped, "Oh my God I am so sorry!"

"Oh great," Charlie finally quipped, "I married an abusive woman."

I rolled my eyes. "Luckily, we aren't actually married Charlie. Oh, wait, then why the hell did you tell our parents we were?" I took a daring step closer to him, sticking my pointer finger in his face and waving it around hysterically.

Taking a step back he waved away my hand and grimaced. "You're language is offensive," he remarked about my hell reference, then continued with, "Because at least now they aren't going to be gunning to get us circled." I raised an eyebrow suspiciously at the young man before me. What exactly was he getting at? Charlie raised an eyebrow right back at me and smirked. "Well you had to have known they'd get us married as soon as they could, right? You're having our child, Ariel; they weren't going to let that happen without us tying the knot."

I placed a hand on my hip and cocked my head in consternation. "We don't have any legitimate proof of a marriage Charlie, unless you've got a marriage certificate lying around somewhere," I pointed out to the bumbling fool in front of me.

Charlie scoffed. "So we run to the church and get one. It can't be that hard."

I gave him a withering glance and took a deep breath. "No. Not hard at all. You just, you know, have to get married first!" I yelled.

"You need to calm down," Charlie said, pointing at me.

I glared at him. "I don't need to calm down; I need to think of a way to get out of this, because I can guarantee they aren't going to be happy when they find out we not only lied about being married, but that we aren't actually even married."

"So let's do it," he grinned.

I laughed out loud. "Now is not the time for jokes Charlie."

"Maybe I'm not joking."

There was a long pause where I stared, mouth slack and hanging open, right into Charlie's eyes. He stared right back, a determined glint flashing across his face.

"I said it's not the time for jokes," I repeated.

Charlie was walking closer to me, sending my heart to pound in out-of-control beats. "Once again," he replied in a low voice, "maybe I'm not."

I gulped as he stood directly before me, his head tilted to the side and one corner of his mouth quirked upward in his signature smirk. I ripped my gaze away from those lips of his and tried to burn a hole in the floor with my eyes instead, which didn't work. Instead I stood there numbly while I felt Charlie reach out and pull me slowly towards him. "I thought you weren't ready for marriage," I whispered, unable to get my voice to rise to a higher volume.

Bringing his other hand gently under my chin and causing our eyes to lock once more, he huskily said, "Not now. But on my own time, I _will_ marry you." I blinked, not knowing how to take this information. He set his other hand on my abdomen and glanced down in what I would almost call a fond way. "You're having my son-daughter-thing, and I don't want to miss out on that." Oh, right, it was all for our child. I completely understood. I mean, why would he want to marry _me_ for any other reason? I wasn't anything special, even if he insisted I was, he was all talk. "And I can't imagine living with any one women for the rest of my life but you," he chuckled. This caught me off guard.

"Huh?" I stuttered stupidly, searching his expression for some sort of hint as to the authenticity of his last statement.

"I don't want a push over for a wife," Charlie smirked, "Although I wouldn't mind if you went and made me a sandwich…"

I opened my mouth to heatedly reply to his typical man remark, but Charlie had an idea on how to shut me up. He pressed his lips against mine before I could even spit out a word in retaliation to his joke. I took a deep breath, unable to believe Charlie Dalton was kissing me, I had, after all, just slapped him. My heart wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him forever, but my brain was ticking away, questioning the whole situation. My brain won this battle.

I pulled back my face, which was actually a much more difficult task than I had originally planned, considering how persistent Charlie was. When I finally managed to free my lips I gasped out, "What are you doing?"

Charlie raised his adorable eyebrow and ran a hand through his hair. I think he knew I liked it when he did that. I think he knew it made me want to do naughty things. I think he knew it distracted me. With a smirk, because I was probably staring with my tongue hanging out of my mouth, Charlie said, "I'm kissing my fake wife."

"But why?" I insisted. I didn't want him dragging me along just to make me feel better about our whole situation.

Charlie shrugged, glancing away for just one second. "I don't like to leave things unfinished. And since the last time I tried kissing you we got interrupted…" He gave me a cheeky grin and bent his head down to close the gap between our lips. God he was good! Maybe, my heart whispered to my brain, I can just go with it this time and not fight. And so, for the first time in my life while I was sober, my brain surrendered to my heart's desire. Man, I'm such a sap.

Not that I didn't enjoy it…

*

After returning from Thanksgiving break Terry once again cornered me. "I hear from Richard that you and Charlie are engaged." Her steely gaze was unrelenting, and I could feel my stomach tying itself into knots. Looks like I had gone back to being the wimpy Cootie I always was.

"Who did you hear that from?" I idiotically asked, considering she had started out her sentence with that information.

Terry shifted her gaze slightly, most likely thinking back to the words she had just spoken to me. "…Richard," she repeated.

"Oh, right, yes," I laughed airily, cheeks burning red.

Terry raised her eyebrows in question. "Well?" she encouraged an answer from me. "Is it true?"

I took a deep breath, about to spill the entire story, when Terry got bumped from behind.

"Sorry!" the girl that had tripped into her shouted, as if both of us were deaf and unable to hear her apology. "Hey, you're Ariel right?" she questioned, smiling brightly, a kind light in her eyes.

Terry stared at the odd girl in disbelief. I think she was shocked that someone had acknowledged me instead of her. "Um, yes," I hesitantly replied.

"Ah! No way!" the girl grabbed my hand and enthusiastically pumped it up and down. "You are my hero! I'm Mallory by the way. People call me Mal. Well it's more my friends call me Mal than anyone else. You can call me Mal if you want though! I can't believe you're marrying Charlie Dalton. I am so jealous of you! I'd like to get my hands on one of those Welton boys myself, if you know what I mean. Rawr!" She growled provocatively at the end of her long introduction and once I was able to pry my hands from her circulation endangering grasp, I slowly brought my gaze back to Terry to see her reaction.

She was standing, both hands on hips, smoke nearly coming out of her ears, face as red as a tomato. "Yes," I stated, still looking at Terry with determination. "We've actually been married quite some time." Mallory squealed with excitement at the news, grabbing my hands and jumping up and down. I'm pretty sure she wanted me to join in, but I stood my ground, my glare at Terry never wavering, when out from my mouth popped, "And we're expecting a child." This time Mallory didn't make a sound and her hopping stopped abruptly; Terry's hands dropped to her sides, eyes so wide they looked like they were trying to escape from her skull.

Wait. Did I just say that?

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**Author's Note:** Oh dear, the beans have been spilled! Thanks for reading and please review :)


	13. My Weight In Gold

**Author's Note:** So this chapter is up in good time, is it not? I'm not quite sure exactly what to think of this chapter. Seriously, I don't know if I like it or not or if I'm Swiss and neutral. Either way, here is the next chapter :) Hope you guys enjoy. Also: WARNING: Implied sexual content. No worries, it doesn't get too graphic or raunchy, but still, I thought I'd warn you...even though this story is rated M for a reason...anyway, on with the story!

**Disclaimer:** Ariel, Terry, and the acts of Mallory are mine.

* * *

I must have snapped. That is the only explanation I had for my announcement.

The hall was eerily quiet and I imagined the music from _The Blob_ playing as Terry crept closer to me, violently taking each step and slamming it down on the stone floor. Mallory was still gawking at my declaration, one eye twitching in what I thought was either excitement or horror. Where's Steve McQueen when you need him?

"_What_ did you just say?" Terry hissed between clenched teeth.

I winced at the tone. I felt as if a snake had just struck out and infected me with its venom. I think it was more likely that Steve McQueen would swoop down and save me than Terry ever forgiving me for this mistake of mine. I took one quick step backwards to increase the rapidly closing distance between us and bumped directly into a pillar, effectively halting my escape. Really, who builds pillars in the middle of a hallway?

Lucky for me, Mallory, my new best friend forever, had snapped out of her previous state of shock and jumped between Terry and I. And when I say 'jump' I'm not just using the word in order to make this confrontation more exciting. The girl literally jumped, both feet flying into the air, in front of me. "Don't come any closer!" she screeched dramatically, holding her hands out in front of her.

Terry stopped and rolled her eyes, glaring over Mallory's shoulder at me, "Who is this? Your personal life guard?"

"I think you mean body guard," I offered up, unable to control my mouth from correcting my slightly dimwitted old friend.

"Does it make a difference?" Terry argued, trying to get around an overly protective Mallory who was shuffling around me, never allowing Terry to get even an inch closer, which was actually quite distracting.

"Hey, um, Mallory?" I began.

"Yeah buddy?" she replied, not bothering to peel her eyes away from Terry in case she tried to make a break for me.

"Can you maybe, I don't know, cease the whole guarding me thing for a little bit?" I asked. Mallory abruptly stopped her incessant shuffling, drooping in disappointment. She turned to look at me, using the puppy eye technique that I'm a total sucker for. "Not that I don't appreciate it," I rushed out, trying to back step over my previous words. "It just makes it hard to discuss situations with your body in the way…"

"But…but…" Mallory stammered, bottom lip quivering.

I raised an eyebrow, unknowing how sensitive she could get. "Okay, Mal," I started in a calming tone, placing my hand on her shoulder, "Terry and I kind of have a lot to talk about right now, but I promise that when I'm free we can…I don't know, study together, or go to a soda shoppe, or something, okay?"

The light reappeared in Mallory's eyes and she clapped her hands together quickly. "Yay!" She turned to stick her tongue out at Terry, then spun to face me once more. "I will see _you_ later." She bopped me on the nose with the tip of her finger and was off, skipping down the hallway.

Giving Terry a sideways glance I grinned cheesily. "Can you believe that girl?" I tried lightening the mood. Seeing that Terry's face was getting redder, I resorted to making excuses. "I gotta pee."

"I can follow you into the bathroom," Terry replied, bustling in my footsteps.

"Stalker," I muttered under my breath, latching the lock on my stall and plopping down on the top of the seat.

"And I can talk through that stupid stall door," Terry shouted.

"Well I don't have to listen," I yelled, quickly covering my mouth in surprise at my words. Does word vomit come along with pregnancy? That's it, I _must_ have snapped.

Terry kicked the stall door and I heard her hiss in pain. "You can't stay in there forever, Ariel."

I sighed. "And you can't stay mad at me forever," I pointed out.

"I'm not mad; I'm furious."

"Well that's a whole lot better," I conceded sarcastically.

"I told you he was trouble," Terry remarked, beginning to pace outside my stall. "I warned you. I said 'Ariel, that boy is trouble; he is a disease'. And what do you do? You go and get knocked up with the twerp."

"That hadn't exactly been my plan," I groaned, wishing she would drop the subject and leave me alone.

"You are such a whore."

And then I realized that I hadn't snapped before, because _now_ is when I snapped. For I, Ariel Duchamp, am _not_ a whore.

I banged open the stall door, stepping determinedly out from where the toilet sat, and grabbed Terry by the arm, swinging her around mid-pace to face me. My eyebrows were furrowed and I'm quite sure that flames were shooting out of my pupils. "If anyone in this bathroom is fast, it's you." Terry's jaw dropped to retaliate to my accusation but I held up a finger. "I'm not done," I informed her, grinding out the words. She blinked rapidly, as if confused. I tightly smiled and continued, "I think the reason you're upset isn't because I'm getting married or because I'm having a baby or even because it all has to do to Charlie Dalton, the virgin whisperer. I think you're frosted because for once in our insignificant little lives a boy is interested in me and not you and isn't afraid to let people know. So, I'm going to say this once, and then I'm going to walk away and leave you looking like a goldfish, so pay attention. Charlie is _mine_. Dig?"

Whoa. That was territorial…

Out of sheer embarrassment at claiming a guy as my own, which I thought I would never do, because really, people don't _belong_ to other people, everyone has the right to choose who they like, I stormed out of the bathroom and suddenly felt much lighter, despite the small amount of extra weight around my gut. Terry, whose last stand was interrupted by not only Mallory's silly, yet hip, antics, but also by my sudden gain of confidence, was no longer going to be part of my life. And that was final. I would be out of this joint in a year and a half, and for that year and a half I would not follow anyone around like a dog. Free at last, free at last.

Taking a deep breath in satisfaction I smiled, and, since it was Friday, I giddily stumbled out to the bike rack and unchained my bike. I think I was high, because a vulgar yet pleasurable thought had popped into my head as I had left Henley that day. And that thought had to do with Charlie. I felt like visiting Welton. And visit Welton I did.

*

I knocked persistently on his door as if some crazy animal was after me and my life depended on getting into Charlie Dalton's room. From the inside I heard him grumble, "I'm comin', I'm comin, hold your horses, for God's sake—Ariel?" He had opened the door, surprise apparent on his face.

I raised an eyebrow and sauntered through the doorway, dragging my fingers lightly across Charlie's chest as I went. He was wearing a blue collared polo completely unbuttoned with an undershirt beneath it. And I wanted him. "Where's Richard?" I asked quietly, spinning to stare through my lashes at Charlie.

Charlie cocked his head and pushed the door closed with one hand. "He's out studying for the night with Pitts and Meeks for chemistry…" He raised his eyebrow in question as I took a step closer to him. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, you know," I shrugged my shoulders, glancing around the room. "I was in the neighborhood."

Charlie blinked. "And why would you be in such a neighborhood, Ariel?" He smirked as I continued to look around the room, my hands innocently clasped behind my back.

I grinned. "I was in the neighborhood to see you," I replied. I raked my eyes down his body before returning them to meet his own and wiggled my eyebrows. Since when had I begun seducing boys? This was not like me at all.

Before my brain could fully wrap itself around the notion that what I was doing was completely against everything I had been raised to believe, Charlie attacked, capturing my lips with his mouth. Instinctively I wrapped one arm around his neck and tangled the fingers of my other hand into his hair. Oh, that hair of his! I was obsessed. It couldn't possibly be healthy of me. His arms were wrapped as tightly around my waist as possible and I had no idea whatsoever as to how I wasn't suffocating. Somehow I found myself leaning back against the side of his bed and then laying down all together. I liked the feel of his weight on top of me and the warmth radiating from our frenzied movements. One of his hands was roaming and now both of my hands were stuck in his hair.

Charlie pulled away for an instant to look into my eyes. I nodded my head, giving him the 'okay' and letting him know that, yes, this is what I came for. And I couldn't help but hear stupid Terry's words 'You are such a whore' ring through my skull, but I didn't care. Does that make me more of a whore? I didn't have time to contemplate the question however, as Charlie was doing crazily wonderful things with his fingers and his lips were back on mine.

I had my blouse unbuttoned and Charlie's polo was lost on the floor. My hands lazily wandered down his chest to where his belt held on his pants. Unbuckling was easier thought than done, but I managed to do it and went for the zipper. I was mad woman! What on earth was I thinking? I was at Welton in my cousin's dorm room about to do unmentionable acts with Charlie Dalton. I don't think that sentence had ever escaped any other girl's mouth.

Abruptly, Charlie drew away, raising himself off me to an arms length. His breathing was shallow and he was staring directly at me, who was also struggling for breath. "I have a lot of homework," he blurted suddenly.

I blinked. "What?" Was he stalling? Why? For God's sake I was going to balloon up in a matter of days and then I _certainly_ would not feel confident enough to do what I was doing now.

"And anyone could walk in," he forged on, "How did you get past Hagar? Does he know you're here? And don't you have homework? Does your roommate know where you are? Does Terry? I should actually rearrange my desk, and my dresser could use some cleaning—"

"Charlie!" He clammed up, gulping. I smiled softly at him when I saw how nervous he actually was and sat up, pecking him on the lips. "What are you talking about? Are you okay?"

Charlie sighed and then mumbled something incoherent.

I cocked my head. "What?"

"I don't want to poke it," he muttered.

"Huh? Poke what?"

Charlie widened his eyes and nodded down at my stomach in explanation. I'm pretty sure my eyebrows shot into the sky as I burst out laughing. Charlie Dalton thought he could poke the baby? His eyebrows bent in anger, "It's not funny; I'm serious."

I licked my lips and tried to calm my laughter. "Charlie," I started, running a hand through his hair, "You do realize that's not possible right?"

An embarrassed grin crossed his face and he stammered, "Of course…I was, uh, just making sure you were okay with all this before we…you know…"

I chuckled and kissed him firmly on the lips. "I think I'm more sure about this right now than anything else in my life."

"Well that's a relief," Charlie joked, "I'm not in the habit of turning away a pretty lady." He smirked, trailing kisses down my neck. "And I get to be on top."

This made me start giggling all over again. "Did you just say what I think you did?"

A blush crawled up onto Charlie's cheeks. "It's of dire importance," he explained.

My mouth dropped and I remembered how Dick had told of how Charlie had disrespected Nolan before the Thanksgiving break. I knew that if anyone got in trouble at Henley, we either got slapped with a ruler on the knuckles or, in more severe cases, faced the paddle. "Charlie Dalton, is your butt bruised?" I asked excitedly.

"No," he replied too quickly, looking away.

"You have a bruised butt," I concluded, shoving him off of me and reaching for his pants.

"Hey!" he protested, but smirked all the same.

"I want to see it," I insisted.

Raising an eyebrow he mockingly asked, "Oh really?"

*

Leaving Welton that evening I felt as if I was flying. I had discovered Cloud 9 and it was not actually called Cloud 9. It was called Charlie Dalton. I was grinning from ear to ear and hugging myself with joy. I tell ya, pregnancy is a scary thing. It can turn a sensible, rational girl like myself into a lovesick ninny within fifteen weeks.

Plodding down the stairs I bumped into a group of boys. "Sorry," I apologized automatically. Then I realized who the group was.

Richard, Pitts, Meeks, and Knox were all staring at me in disbelief. "What are you doing here, Ariel?" Dick growled, "You don't look like you have a pass."

I smiled radiantly at my ridiculous excuse of a cousin. "I don't have a pass," I admitted. "I just came to visit Charlie."

"You what?" he hissed, clearly angry that Charlie and I were getting along so well.

"Mhm," I smirked. "We just had sex." All four boys gasped at my blatancy. I laughed, turning to stare Richard down and informed him, "On your bed."

I would have to say the look on Richard's face was worth my weight in gold.

* * *

**Author's Note: **So there you have it. Charlie and Ariel finally got together while they were sober and Cameron got what was coming to him. I absolutely love the scene in DPS when Neil has discovered he got the part of Puck and he goes pounding on everyone's doors and Charlie, as adorable as ever, steps out into the hallway in a button down (which isn't buttoned) baby blue polo shirt and I needed to incorporate that into the story... so yeah, that's what Charlie was wearing. And this Author's Note needs to be stopped before it exceeds the length of the chapter itself! Thanks for reading and a review would be great! :)


	14. The Best Things Come in Pairs

**Author's Note:** Thank you all for your awesome reviews :) Happiness is abundant in my world right now. Anyway, just as a warning, the next couple of chapters will be kind of depressing, because, well, we all know the events that happen soon after Charlie gets paddled. :( I just thought I'd let you know that the chapters, although they haven't been totally bliss filled or anything, aren't going to be as cheery for a tad bit, just because of depressing circumstances. BUT I will hopefully sprinkle little bits of joy throughout...so yeah, that said, I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter! But hopefully you enjoy it a bit :D

**Disclaimer:** DPS belongs not to me.

* * *

So apparently I'm going to have two little Charlie's to deal with along with the fully grown one in about six months. I should never have asked the doctor to tell me anything about my future children except for whether or not they were healthy and normal. But no. I just _had_ to know the sex of the baby and _of course_ the doctor would laugh good naturedly and say "Oh you silly girl, you're having twin boys, congratulations!" I hate doctors.

I'm thinking of calling them Percy and Thaddeus. Percy and Tad Dalton. Cute, huh? Charlie will have no say in the naming what-so-ever; not after I ran into Neil one day and he inadvertently mentioned that Charlie had nicknamed himself Nuwanda. Yeah. My children will not have names _that_ obscure.

Mallory, who seemed to know my schedule by heart and always found a way to be with me when I had nothing to do, wanted to name them Simon and Garfunkel. I was okay with the Simon part, but Garfunkel is where I draw the line. I can just see Charlie making fun of his own son with a name like that.

Rapid growth was upon me, and I hated it, what with my baby bump becoming more pronounced as the weeks wore on. Curse Charlie and I and our fertile loins.

*

I got the call early in the morning. Too early for my usual liking, but the details of the phone call wiped out all of my initial crankiness. Neil was dead. I had spoken to him not even a week before, and now he was gone, never to offer me a crooked smile or a name suggestion again, never to grace the stage like he had the night before. I hardly knew the boy, and I was choking back tears. I could hardly imagine how the boys were dealing with his loss.

In the small amount of time I had known him I had high hopes of little Percy and Tad running around with Daddy and Uncle Neil. Neil of course would be the one that kept them safe, because Charlie would be too busy trying to have his own fun than make sure Tad didn't lick a metal pole in winter, or Percy didn't fall out of a tree during the summer. No, those were all things that I could have seen Neil doing, not only with my kids, but with his own someday. It was beyond comprehension that the boy previously so full of life was now…gone.

Charlie's voice was cracking over the receiver and it was obvious he was trying not to cry. My heart was breaking for him and Todd and Knox and the rest of them all. "I can head over right now, Charlie, just say the word," I whispered into the phone, not feeling the need to share any of this personal information with the Headmistress or the Dragon, who had been dispatched to fetch me when the call had initially come in.

There was a gulp and the tiniest amount of sniffing on the opposite end before Charlie answered, "Not yet. I still have to tell the rest of the guys. I…I just didn't know what to say and…and I guess I just didn't want to see their faces yet."

"Charlie, when do you need me to be there?" I asked, knowing that he'd eventually need to crumble, and also knowing he wouldn't do so in front of his friends. He felt he was their rock, and so he would act as such for as long as necessary.

"Can you meet me? Later tonight," he clarified.

I understood his need to be with the rest of the group for the day. I nodded, then realized he couldn't see me shaking my head. "Yeah. I'll be at Welton later," I replied.

"Thank you," he ended the conversation weakly. "Ariel?"

"Charlie?"

"I…" he stalled, hesitating with what he was about to say. "I…well, I lo...I…thank you," he blurted before hanging up.

I blinked away the mist that was coming into my eyes and hung up my end of the phone, slightly confused at his ending sentence, or lack there of. The Headmistress and Dragon were on me like ants at a picnic, wanting as much gossip as they could get. Life at Henley was rather drab. I swallowed my tears and smiled grimly, excusing myself before they could squeeze any important details out of me on the pretense of 'school policy'.

I wasted away the day, wallowing in the second floor girl's lavatory in the science building. It was the least busy of the bathrooms, and being undisturbed was kind of the purpose of wallowing. I didn't even understand what I was wallowing for. Neil and I hadn't been particularly close, although I did consider him to be a kind and decent individual who definitely had a talent for acting, but other than that, I knew nothing of him. I suppose the fact that if someone like Neil, who I had thought of as a sort-of role model, living his dream and all, was capable of taking his own life, then how fragile were the rest of us, hiding in the shells our parents had created for us?

I tried to push the thought from my brain, hoping Neil's departure hadn't caused similar thought processes in the minds of others, sparking a domino effect. When the light from the high windows of the bathroom began to fade, I blew my nose, for I had silently cried to myself over Neil, deciding that he had been somewhere between acquaintance and friend to me. He had touched my life, like I was sure he had touched so many others. It was close enough to 'later' in my eyes, and I trudged sluggishly back to my dorm to grab a coat.

Caroline glanced over at me from her desk and stuck up her nose. "Your uniform is wrinkled, and you weren't in class today."

"How observant," I snapped in her direction as I shoved my arms forcefully into my jacket.

Caroline blinked. "Just because you have the inconvenience of being preggers doesn't mean you can be rude to me."

"Does the fact that Neil Perry is dead give me permission to be rude to you?" I asked, slamming the door in her stunned face.

I was apparently mad at the world that hour. The darn twins were messing with my feelings so often lately that I was like a ticking time bomb. One moment I could be complimenting you on your choice of outfit, the next I could be kicking your dog. Well, maybe not _physically_ kicking a dog, but verbally assassinating it was a likely possibility. After all, who better to pass judgment on your pooch than an unmarried pregnant teenager?

I hurried over to Welton before it got too dark, not wanting to travel in the nighttime by myself. I had become paranoid, possibly another symptom of the twins, or maybe, with Neil's passing hitting so close I was afraid of death in general, and since I had no idea what sort of creepy old men lurked in the dark, I wanted to get to safe ground before they began their lurking. Charlie was sitting on a bench by himself when I arrived, staring down at an unlit cigarette.

I approached him slowly, sitting next to him cautiously when he didn't say a word, and scooted ever so slowly closer until we were touching sides. Sad to say, but Charlie and I didn't know each other enough for me to know whether or not he would want a hug or anything, so instead I half smiled and asked, "You gonna light that?"

My voice cracked on the word 'light' and right after I was done speaking Charlie slipped his smoke into his pocket and circled me with his arms, stroking my hair. I leaned into him, clutching at his school cloak, drawing him as close as space would allow, not wanting to let go. Something cold and wet dripped onto my cheek. It wasn't one of my tears. It was one of Charlie's. I pulled away from him just long enough to reverse our rolls and soon enough I was cradling him, letting him weep into my chest. His hand landed on my stomach and he began to absentmindedly draw circles through my shirt.

He coughed, clearing his throat of bile and quietly, as if he were afraid of my reaction, asked, "Can we name it Neil? If it's a boy?"

The dull glow in his watery eyes tugged at my heart. Percy and Neil Dalton had a nice ring to it too. With a small grin I said, "We can name one of them Neil."

Charlie blinked rapidly, "Twins?"

I bit my lip and nodded in affirmation. He hugged me close, but not before I caught the twitch of a smile on his lips. Now when I felt a tear hit my cheek, I knew they were not only that of sorrow, but of contentment as well.

* * *

**Author's Note:** RIP Neil Perry. You are missed.


	15. The L Word

**Author's Note:** This is a rather short chapter with some fluff in the beginning. Thanks for all of your reviews :) You all make my day so much brighter, ha ha.

**Disclaimer:** Ariel is my imagination's baby.

* * *

I probably shouldn't be schlepping through the woods, what with it being hideously cold, and the fact that there's no bathroom out here. Since the twins started shoving themselves against my bladder, I've had to use the bathroom pretty much all the time. Thank God the doc said that's almost over. But Charlie's missing, so I'm determined to search, and I'm almost positive I know where he is.

My family got the call this morning. Is it just me, or do all bad news calls come in the morning? Charlie, the reckless guy he is, shoved his fist into Richard's nose, apparently, and now he must say good-bye to Welton. I don't really think Charlie views leaving Welton as a punishment. I think just leaving the friends he grew up with is the worst part.

I'm distracted from these thoughts when my insides squirm and I come to a jerking halt, yelping in surprise. What the hell? I glanced down at my belly, expecting to see something attempting escape, but instead I just get the feeling that bugs were tip-toeing over my abs. I quickly unzipped my jacket and scrambled to lift my shirt up, trying to find the offending insects. "Where are you?" I grumbled, whipping my head around and inadvertently turning in circles.

I didn't notice Charlie until he coughed and asked, "What are you doing?"

I squealed, startled. "Oh," I blushed, realizing how stupid I must have looked, "I'm just, um…I think there's a bug in my shirt."

"Its winter," Charlie pointed out, wiping at his runny nose.

I stared at him blankly. "But something ran across my tummy."

Charlie blinked and in one swift movement was upon me, hand on my stomach.

I stopped jumping around and let my hands fall to my sides, raising an eyebrow at Charlie, who not only was feeling up my stomach, but had his head bent down as well. "What are you doing?" I asked, completely confused.

"I'm waiting for the boys to move again," Charlie explained in a hushed whisper, as if what he was talking about was sacred. And I suppose parents, for the most part, do feel as if they're in possession of a little bit of magic.

Then it hit me and I felt like an idiot. I had just felt the twins _moving_. "Okay," I began, slightly irritated, hands on my hips, "How is it that you know more about baby movement than _I_ do?"

Charlie straightened up, running his fingers through his hair. "I, uh, read a book…"

"Where did you get a book about babies at Welton?" I asked incredulously. I was pretty certain their library wouldn't contain anything with child rearing tips. In fact, the only books in Welton that had anything to do with children probably belonged to the Biology department.

Charlie smirked. "Surprisingly, bookstores offer a lot more than Playboy," he explained.

"Didn't need to know the last part there," I smirked back.

The snow fall was becoming heavier, and it felt as if we were in our own little world, shut off from the rest of society. It was like we were in a snow globe, and no one could get in. He was staring down at me with full, clear eyes. They shown sorrowfully, but there was a glint of something else as he rested his fingertips against my stomach. Then again I can't even tell the difference between a bug crawling on me and a baby moving, so who knows if Charlie felt that way at all. I fail at interpreting people.

Charlie wrapped his arms around me, dragging me into his warm cloak. "What are you doing out here?" he questioned into my hair.

I took a deep breath as my arms settled around him as well. He smelled like smoke and wood and Old Spice. I liked it. Pulling away so that I wouldn't just be talking into his jacket, I glanced up. Once again he was staring down at me, waiting for an answer. "Well you didn't expect me to just sit around when I was told you had run away, did you?"

Charlie laughed. "That's what people are saying? That I ran away? Charlie Dalton does not runaway because he got expelled from school."

"For giving Dick a knuckle sandwich I hear." Ariel smirked.

Charlie raised an eyebrow. "Too bad the rest of the guys held me back," he mumbled, suddenly forlorn.

I bit my lip, not sure if I should breach the subject, but decided to anyway. "Charlie, beating up Richard wouldn't have changed…things."

His eyes hardened and he replied with: "It would have made me feel better."

I smirked. Typical Charlie.

"Okay," I sighed, turning so that we were facing the same direction, keeping one arm wrapped around Charlie's waist. "It's time to get back before your father has a heart attack."

Charlie glanced over his shoulder. I think he realized it might be a while before he could come back to this place. To the cave. This great place where Charlie had shared many a time with his friends. The friends he also might not be seeing for a while. "Why would my father ever have a heart attack if I disappeared?" he asked cynically.

I gulped. "You're his son, Charlie, he cares about you." I tried to sound confident in my conclusion, but I couldn't quite pull it off. Charlie's dad was nice, and I'm sure he _did_ care about Charlie, but that sadly wasn't the reason he was worried that Charlie was gone.

"You mean he cares how many hours I can clock at the bank next year?"

My thoughts exactly, but I hadn't been about to say that to him. I stepped in front of him and planted my lips on his momentarily, pulling back in surprise myself. I hadn't thought kissing Charlie through; in fact, I don't even remember the thought crossing my mind, let alone being in my mind at all. Yes, Charlie and I were closer now, and we might even be considered going steady, what with our whole 'marriage' thing, but I still felt awkward with the physical stuff. We didn't know each other very well, and the sexual encounter the other night was no doubt due to a flare of hormones induced by our twins.

Not that I'm complaining about that night…

"Well _I_ care about you," I said, looking up into Charlie's shocked, glassy eyes. And it was true. I don't think I cared about anyone as much as I cared about Charlie. Unless you count my hamster Caesar when I was five. Stupid cat ate him in the middle of the night.

Charlie bit his lip, somehow nervous. "There's something I tried to tell you the other day," he began quietly, staring out into the woods. "On the phone," he clarified, "_that_ morning." I nodded, biting my lip as well. Charlie's eyes came slamming back to mine, an intense gleam shining in them. He leaned down and pressed his lips gently against mine, then he moved to my forehead, and back down to my nose. He pulled back again so that he was smirking at me. "What I wanted to say, but was too afraid to say, was that I love you."

Oh boy.

I gulped, just standing there idiotically gaping. Charlie Dalton had just said 'love' to a girl. And I'm pretty sure he meant it. His eyes were searching mine now, expecting an answer. But I couldn't give him the one he wanted. I wasn't ready to say that. I had strong feelings for Charlie, that was for sure, but I didn't know if 'love' was the right word. Not to mention I could barely choke out, "That's neat."

Charlie blinked. "That's neat?" he repeated. I gulped again. I didn't want him to be mad. Glancing back up at him confirmed he wasn't mad. But he definitely wasn't jumping for joy. His hands dropped to his sides limply. He shrugged. "Yeah, neat," he breathed, walking past me back in the direction of town.

I spun to watch him go, hoping that he'd turn around, smirk that adorable smirk of his, offer me his arm, and we'd leave to woods together. But that didn't happen, and I felt like the most horrible person in the world. Charlie's best friend had died, and I couldn't even say three simple words to make him feel better.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So I was watching Gilmore Girls while writing this, and Lorelei said 'Carpe Diem'...I nearly fell out of my chair. So anyway, hope you enjoyed the chapter, and any reviews would be crazy awesome!


	16. Feelings Show

**Author's Note:** Well, here's the next chapter. It's full of sappy sappiness. Ha ha. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own DPS. Although Charlie _is_ locked in my closet at the moment. *pats Charlie on head and hands him a Playboy* He's not complaining, though. :)

* * *

I'm getting sick of everyone staring at my stomach when I walk down the halls. It's not just the stupid snobs anymore either, even the nerds stare at me in disgust. Mallory is the only person who seems to not care at all. At least not _negatively_ care. She definitely cares, but more in a hyper, excited puppy way. In fact, the other day, she even said, "I hope it's a puppy!" When I told her that it was a_ boy_, she jumped up, clapped her hands and asked, "Can we name it Spot?" I still don't know what is going on in that brain of hers. Thank God I didn't tell her we were having twins, or she might have wanted to take one home with her and put a collar on it.

Come to think of it, I really wouldn't mind a puppy.

*

Charlie answers the door before my fist even makes contact with the wood. He's not smirking or smiling, but his eyes are shining, so I know he's slightly happy to see me.

He's been camped out at home since his expulsion, and this is the first time I've got the nerve to show my face to him since I told him his declaration of love was 'neat'. Honestly I'm such an idiot sometimes. It's only been a few days, but I've missed seeing him, and I'm pretty sure my stomach has expanded quite a bit.

He glances down, then brings his eyes back up to mine. I nod and he places his hands on my stomach, hoping for some movement from our little guys. It's disappointing not only to him, but to me as well when the twins stay stock still. I want Charlie to be the first person besides myself that feels them move. It only seems right. Not to mention it would make him swell with pride like he used to. And I want him to be happy. Things just aren't the same without a cheeky Charlie throwing me a line.

Then again, I knew things would change as soon as Charlie told me of Neil's passing. But now I've placed a chink between us by not returning those three words he spoke to me in the woods. The three words that I know I want to say but for some reason can't get my vocal chords to cooperate. I want to say them; I've planned out the different ways to say them, but every time I thought I could, I failed, and this time seems no different.

So instead of talking, I lift my fingers to Charlie's face and trace his jaw line, biting my lip before leaning onto my tiptoes and pressing my lips to his own. At first he doesn't respond, and I think about backing off, giving him space, giving him time, but I don't. I wrap the hand that's been scrawling designs on his cheek around the back of his neck and pull him closer.

In an instant Charlie kisses back, and one of his hands finds my free one, intertwining our fingers. I hear the door close and then feel my back pressed up against it; the doorknob is going to leave a bruise, but right now I don't care, because as I pull my face away from Charlie's, I finally manage to raggedly whisper, "I love you."

I feel so cliché that I want to slap myself. How can he possibly believe my words? I mean, so many girls kiss their lover and then ridiculously breathe out those three words. I mean them, but those other girls, they don't. I know this because Terry told me that she says those words to every guy she kisses. She says it keeps them hooked, or at least tricks them into thinking that you're hooked, and then they're more likely to call you. I figure Terry isn't the only person in the universe to use that technique.

So I open my gob and begin rambling. "I mean it Charlie. I love you. I think I kind of have since the beginning, even if you were just trying to get me into bed. Or whatever it is you were trying to do. At Chet's, remember? And I was so out of it because usually I don't drink much. I mean, alcohol tastes absolutely revolting, and what is so great about not remember the previous night and vomiting the next morning? And I know you've probably heard 'I love you' from so many girls, but truly and honestly I do. I love you. And I want a puppy. But that's not important right now—"

Charlie laughs. "What are you talking about?"

I gulp. "About how I love you."

Charlie tilts his head and I finally see that signature smirk of his grace his handsome face. "I know." He presses another kiss onto my mouth. "And I love you."

And this is horribly cliché. The good girl. The bad boy. The lovey-dovey stuff. It's never what I wanted, but now that I actually have it, I'm glad it's what I have.

*

Terry makes me want to vomit. In fact, I just might.

Todd is not her personal plaything.

She just can_not_ take advantage of his situation right now.

This will not get me on her good side like she thinks it will.

Nor will it get Charlie on her good side.

Who knows if Terry even _has_ a good side anymore.

Pretending to care about Todd, who, ironically enough, just happens to be her longtime neighbor that she ignored her entire life while pining after the older Anderson boy, is not going to win her any points with anyone. Except maybe some nuns that don't see through her evil guise. And Nolan, of course, is oblivious. And Dick is just dumb. Blushing every time she's around. He's in for a dose of hard reality when he realizes that girls like Terry don't even notice boys like Richard Cameron.

The only reason I am putting up with Terry's charade is because Todd seems to be genuinely improving. But I know Terry is going to stab poor little Todd sooner or later. And even if I'm in the throes of labor I will remove that knife from his back and shove it right into Terry's black heart.

Well that sounds kind of violent, but I blame the hormones for that.

I believe my point is simply that if Terry even hurts Todd in the tiniest of ways, she will have to face the wrath of a severely angry pregnant woman. If I were her I wouldn't take that chance.

Todd doesn't know that Terry and I have a past. Todd doesn't know Terry and Charlie have a past. And Todd surely doesn't know that Terry is pretty much spawn of the devil.

This is where Mallory comes in.

It's amazing what that girl will do for a clipping of Charlie's hair. Actually it's a little creepy, but I try not to think about that when I tell her I'll make it worth her while if she befriends Todd and keeps him away from Terry. I hardly expected her to ask for a lock of Charlie's hair.

However, I do love Charlie's hair.

Wait. No. I just plain love Charlie.

*

Charlie is running his fingers through his hair, no doubt feeling utterly violated when I told him what Mallory wanted. He's ruffling the hair on the side of his head where there's a chunk missing. I assure him it'll grow back and he'll be as cocky and handsome as ever, and besides, what's a little sacrifice if it helps Todd escape the clutches of Terry?

I prop the binoculars in front of my eyes and watch as Todd and Terry make their way through the newly fallen snow, Terry with her arm comfortingly around Todd's shoulders. I swing the binoculars a few yards in front of the two, where Mallory is sitting on a bench, bouncing with excitement. She somehow notices me hiding behind the dedicated bush for our plan and waves like a lunatic in my direction. I shake my head and scowl, and she gets the message, giggling to herself. I groan and hear Charlie chuckle next to me.

As Todd and Terry approach the bench on which Mallory is perched, she hops up, arms extended outward and squeals, "TODD!"

Todd quivers next to Terry, no doubt wondering just who this crazy person is. I see the shocked expression on Terry's face and know she's thinking about where I'm hiding. It wasn't too long ago she was concocting plans similar to this one with me. With the exception being that the goals of her plans always revolved around her own happiness.

"I am SO glad to see you," Mallory practically yells at the duo in front of her.

Todd gulps and, if I'm not mistaken, mumbles something like, "Why?"

"Because, silly," Mallory continues in her bubbly way, "Now I can ask you to the movies!"

Terry blinks rapidly. She's definitely caught off guard.

Todd's face is a tomato red.

"I'm Mallory," she grins. "And Ariel thinks that you and I would be _perfect_ together."

Todd whispers something and stares at the ground, somehow continuing to get even more red than before.

Mallory laughs, and her smile is so bright it's blinding. "I wasn't talking like _that_," she clarifies to Todd. "I meant that we'd be perfect best friends, of course!"

Well. That's not really what I told her, but I figure that Mallory would be a good friend to Todd, or anybody actually, so I make a mental note to congratulate the girl later.

I hear Charlie shuffling beside me, removing something from his pocket. He clears his throat with a cough. He must be catching a cold or something.

I watch as Mallory whisks Todd away from a flabbergasted Terry, who merely stands stock still, gaping as Mallory begins skipping, dragging Todd with her and even negotiating a trot out of him. I know this isn't over, especially when I see Terry begin to stalk after the skipping couple ahead of her. She's not giving up Todd easily.

Bitch.

Charlie coughs again and I mutter, "You should probably get something for that."

"Ariel, look at me," he says.

I hold up a finger, "I have to watch, just in case. I told you I'm sticking to the plan—"

"So am I," Charlie assures me.

So I glance at him.

And he's on one knee.

"This is _my_ plan," he smiles. Not smirks. _Smiles_.

I drop the binoculars and they land with a thud on the snow covered ground. "Oh gosh," I breath out as he takes hold of my left hand.

"Ariel," he begins, eyes blazing with ferocity. He opens a small velvet box, revealing a delicate ring that is so beautiful I can't decide between staring at it or staring into Charlie's face. "Will you marry me?"

* * *

**Author's Note:** Why doesn't Charlie ever propose to me?! R&R and I'll love you forever, just not as much as I love Charlie's hair...


	17. Locked in the Bathroom

**Author's Note:** I apologize for the delay in updates. Writer's Block and School were against me. But I finally got out this chapter after listening to the Beatles Please Please Me album...and that cd also inspired a whole new DPS fiction idea...so yay for the Beatles! Also, thank you for the reviews :D

**Disclaimer: **The Dead Poets do not belong to me :(

* * *

My jaw dropped. Charlie was still on his knee, holding that little black box. I gaped, certainly looking like some sort of shocked goldfish. I had no idea what to say. Yes? No? Maybe, so? It was just unexpected. For some reason I had this notion in my head that Charlie would never get married, ever. "I…" I couldn't help but smile. My stomach did a flip and I was about to nod my head, when we were interrupted by a rather rude old friend of mine.

"I _knew_ you were behind that little stunt," Terry growled, standing a few feet away, fuming. She certainly knew how to show up and ruin a mood.

Charlie stood up, pocketing the ring and the box, frowning, "Terry, what do you want?"

She shot a warning look at Charlie, her eyes widening slightly at the small velvet box, before glaring back at me. "Stay out of my business. What I do has nothing to do with you."

I raised an eyebrow. "Then why do you think you can meddle with my life, or Todd's life?"

Terry pursed her lips, eyes flitting forlornly over to Charlie. "Like I said; stay out of my business."

I was getting seriously frustrated with this girl. How had I put up with her for so long? "Then stay out of Todd's business!"

Terry furrowed her brows and gazed over at Charlie. Tears were brimming in her eyes. "What do you think Charlie?"

Charlie was clearly taken aback at her question, and I suspiciously raised an eyebrow. Charlie glanced over at me before looking back at Terry. "I think you need to leave Todd alone…" He trailed off, still confused as to what was going on.

Terry glared at the snow on the ground. "Why? What if…what if I could comfort him?"

Charlie blinked. "Well…you're kind of a bitch." Ouch. Even I winced at Charlie's lack of subtlety.

Terry gulped. "And you don't think that can change?"

I took a deep breath. I had a feeling Terry was trying to convince Charlie that she wasn't as bad as he thought she was. And really, if she hadn't been so harsh to me lately, then I would have been on her side. Life was too complicated.

Charlie stole a glance at me and I shrugged my shoulders. I couldn't answer for him. "Well, uh, I'm sure you _could_ change if you wanted to, but messing with Todd right now…that's just not a good idea." Terry's tears had definitely gotten to him. Apparently Charlie was a sucker for a girl that cried.

Terry bit her lip self-consciously. "Then I guess I'll stop." My jaw dropped yet again. Terry and surrender weren't usually two things that went together. Something was up. There had to be something fishy about this. She stared back over at me, clearing her throat. "I'll see you back at the dorms, Cootie."

Now I was _really_ confused. Not only had Terry surrendered, but she had shown her vulnerable side to Charlie, and had just called me 'Cootie'. I thought that fact that we hadn't been on friendly terms with one another denied her of her right to call me that. "Um," I couldn't quite formulate words, until finally I choked out, "Yeah…Clyde."

Terry smile was small and meek. It was as if she realized how horrible she had treated Charlie and I and was suddenly repentant. I didn't know how I felt about that. I didn't know how long it would take me to get over the fact that she had turned her back on me so readily, let alone verbally attacked the father of the child she so vehemently despised.

I watched as she walked away, completely baffled by her behavior. I glanced over at Charlie to catch some of his reaction, and he was staring after Terry as well, looking utterly shocked and at a loss for words. I shook my head, trying to get my bearings back, and leaned over to pick up my binoculars, which reminded me of Charlie's proposal. I didn't want to be the one to bring it back up.

"I, uh, I got to get back to Henley," I excused myself, backing up. I grinned at him, wondering if he was going to bring up the proposal.

Charlie ran a hand through his hair, still staring in the direction Terry had disappeared. "Um, me too. I mean, Welton. I have to get back to Welton."

I bit my lip, disappointed for some reason that he hadn't brought the beautiful ring out again. "Okay, well…I guess we'll see each other later. Tomorrow, or sometime soon." Of course we would. I was having his baby; it was practically law that he had to visit, at least that's how it seemed with our parents breathing down our necks.

"Huh? Oh, yeah." He glanced at me, but mostly kept his eyes focused on the snow. "I'll see you soon Ariel." And with a tight smile, he turned on his heel and walked back to Welton, not even bothering to hug or kiss the girl he had just proposed to.

*

I wearily swung the door to my dorm open, ignoring Caroline, who was listing off as many digits of pi as she could. I threw my binoculars forcefully onto my desk, irritated at Charlie's odd reaction to Terry's sudden kindness. I didn't like it. It was as if she had cast some sort of spell on him.

There's a knock on the door and Caroline groans when she loses track of which number she's on. As I'm already standing, I go to crack open the door, and stare in shock at who it is that's standing there.

"Hey, Coot," Terry says quietly, not meeting my eyes. "Can we maybe talk."

I bite my lip, eyeing her suspiciously. I hear the creak of Caroline's chair as she leans back to see who's at the door. She gasps in surprise when she sees Terry. It's now a widespread truth at Henley that Cootie and Clyde are no longer a duo.

I rolled my eyes at Caroline's reaction. "Um, sure Terry." I'm not quite ready to call her Clyde yet, but I grab my coat and head out the door to follow Terry, hoping I don't look too much like a kicked puppy as I lag behind her. "Where are we going?"

Terry shrugs. "We could always hold ourselves up in a bathroom like we used to."

I grin to myself. Terry and I were always commandeering bathrooms back when we had little schemes that needed private planning. We'd stake out the hallway, waiting for just after the janitor was done cleaning, and jimmy the door so that it wouldn't open. Each and every student knew that if a bathroom door wouldn't budge, it wasn't because the door was faulty. It was because Cootie and Clyde were up to something. No one ever finked on us, too afraid of what Terry would do to them, and we always got away without getting in trouble.

I mull over her suggestion and agree, but we both know we won't have a clean bathroom, since the janitors are done for the day. So we jog up to the second floor of the science building and jam the door of the girl's lavatory there. I lean against the door and cross my arms. "Now what?" I have no idea just what Terry wants to talk about, but I know she's not just acting when she stares at me in anguish.

"I hate not talking to you," she admits, sitting on the edge of a sink and staring at the tiled floor.

I gulp. It _had_ been weird not being able to talk to her whenever I wanted. Terry had pretty much been my only friend my entire life, and to suddenly having her missing from my life was strange. I scratched the back of my head. "Yeah," I mildly agreed.

"Look," Terry sighed, finally locking eyes with me, "I…I handled everything completely wrong." My eyes bugged out of my head. Terry hardly ever admitted she was wrong. "It just hurts," she scuffed the toe of her shoe on the floor as she continued, struggling to find words that described what she felt. "Charlie was the first time I had ever been with a boy…and I know that's not an excuse or anything, but I got attached. Too attached obviously. More than I thought I had. And when you two started to show interest in each other, I guess I just sort of boiled over and reacted in a really bad way."

I was trying to digest what she was saying, and I could see her point. Even had I not been impregnated by Charlie, I'm sure I would have felt some sort of attachment to him, merely because I had given him something that I couldn't exactly take back and give to the next guy that crossed my path. When she put it that way, I felt like I was the one in the wrong.

I couldn't get a word out before Terry forged on, apparently not done explaining things. "I know I hadn't ever mentioned Charlie or anything. And that's my fault. I guess I thought I was over him. But…do you remember when you liked Justin Kriesel, and I ended up going out with him because you never told me that you liked him until after we broke up? You remember what that felt like? Well…I guess, that's what I feel about you and Charlie, only it's ten times worse because now you're having a baby and getting married and—"

I held up a finger to interrupt her and stated, "I'm not so sure about the whole marriage thing anymore."

Terry blinked. "W-what?"

I gulped. "We were never engaged…"

"Oh," Terry exhaled, taking in this new information. "But…then what was in that box Charlie had today?"

I ran a hand through my hair. "He proposed, and then, well…you came…"

Terry made a face. "Oh God, Ariel, I'm sorry…"

And she was. I know Terry like the back of my hand. I know when she's lying, mainly because she's one of the worst liars in the entire world, and she wasn't lying then. I shrugged. "It's…okay. I don't think Charlie is really, um, ready to get married officially."

"So…your parents _think_ you are?"

I nodded. "I don't know…Charlie just sort of stared after you when you left and then he was kind of in a daze when he wandered back to school." I shifted against the door. "Were you really trying to be nice to Todd?"

Terry half-smiled. "Yeah. I was." She bit her lip. "I know what it's like to lose a best friend."

I raised an eyebrow. "Terry, I'm still alive."

"It didn't feel like it," she whispered, glancing down at the tile.

I licked my lips. "I'm sorry, Terry."

She wrung her hands in front of her. "I know things won't ever be the same as before, but, I don't want to lose you either. I really am sorry, Ariel."

I nodded my head. We were fighting over a boy. And that didn't seem worth the loss of a friendship. I smirked up at her, lifting my head. "Don't worry about it…Clyde."

Terry smiled as well. "So…what're we going to have to do to get you and Charlie Dalton hitched?" She grinned mischievously. "I can't have him, so you may as well snag him."

I smirked. "Looks like we'll just have to come up with a plan."

Cootie and Clyde were back in business. For now, anyway.

* * *

**Author's Note:** So there we go, Terry and Ariel made up, for now, but there will indeed be some friction. Because what fun would it be if they got along perfectly? :D Anyway, thanks for reading and leave me a review, please!


	18. Doubting Charlie

**Author's Note:** I seriously need to update my poor stories more often...anyway, here is the next chapter, and I must admit, it's kind of a filler...oops! But it was getting kind of long, so I cut it off. Hopefully the next update doesn't take so long, my apologies! Hope you enjoy :)

**Disclaimer:** Same old, same old.

* * *

"Cool it, Cootie; by the time I'm done with you, being pregnant will be the hip thing," Terry informed me.

I rolled my eyes as best I could, what with Terry caking on the eye shadow. "I don't really think I should be going to parties…"

Terry sighed. "You're not going to the party to party. You're going to…observe Charlie."

"We don't even know if Charlie's going to be there," I protested, swatting away her hand as she tried to groom my hair into some ridiculous style.

Terry pouted for just a second. "Of course Charlie's going to be there. He's Charlie. He's at every party."

I bit my lip. "Yeah…_before_." I was uncomfortable actually speaking about Neil's untimely departure and the effect it had on everyone that had been around him.

Terry shrugged her shoulders. "He'll be there," she assured me with a knowing tone in her voice.

I sighed. There was no point in arguing with her over something so insignificant. We had been on the rocks for a couple of days since making up. I still wasn't sure what was safe or not to say or mention around her, and I could see her giving me wary glances every now and again, no doubt calculating her words before actually speaking them, as well. All of Henley was in awe when they saw us walking together now, with the added addition of Mallory trotting along beside me, happy as ever.

The door to Terry's dorm banged open and Mallory came bouncing up to us. She plopped a thick headband onto my hair and grinned. "Done!" she cheerily announced, taking a step back to admire the work she and Terry had done.

They exchanged congratulatory glances and Terry clapped her hands once. "You can barely tell you're fat."

I furrowed my brow at her in the mirror, glaring. "I'm not fat…I'm just…pregnant."

"Hence the fat," Mallory chimed up.

My friends really knew how to make me feel better about certain situations.

*

We could hear the music resonating down the street a few blocks away. With any luck the coppers would be called and the party would be broke up and I wouldn't have to 'observe' Charlie. Mallory was nearly skipping with excitement, while Terry strut beside me. I was hunched over, hands buried in the pockets of the cardigan I was wearing. I knew people were going to stare. That's just the way people were; but it bothered me to no end.

"We're here!" Mallory exclaimed as she danced up the walkway to the door, yanking it open and holding it for Terry and I to enter.

As soon as the three of us stepped inside and closed the door, it was as if a wave had passed over the group of party goers. One by one their eyes landed on us and their mouths stopped working. Besides the music playing, there was an eerie silence as students just continued to stare. Terry seemed to be in her element as I hid behind her. "Okay people! Go back to your knitting," she shouted, grabbing my hand and leading me further into the large house, Mallory on my heels.

"I really don't think I should be here," I spoke again, yelling to be heard over the music.

Terry picked up a red cup, handed it to Mallory, and got some beer for herself. "Ariel, honestly, there is nothing wrong with a pregnant Henley student attending a party." She took a sip of her drink. "You know, as long as you don't do anything stupid like drugs, or drinking, or going off with another random guy." She leaned back against the kitchen counter and squinted her eyes. "Now we just need to find Charlie…"

"There he is! There he is!" Mallory shouted, pointing and hopping up and down so violently that her beer sloshed from her cup and onto the tiled flooring. "Oops!"

I ran a hand through my hair before grabbing a wash cloth from the sink and kneeling down to wipe up the mess. I had to have some practice for when the boys came after all. By the time I was finished cleaning up Mallory's drink, Terry was gone, leaving me with an overly hyper, soon-to-be drunk girl. "Great."

I replaced the wash cloth in the sink, washing my hands and turning just in time to save Mal from an overly feely Mutt Sanders. One glare from a hormonal pregnant teenager was enough to scare him away and I dragged Mal away from the drink table, hoping we could find a couch or something to sit on for the rest of the night. She came to an abrupt halt. "Aren't we supposed to be looking for Charlie?" she asked in confusion.

I shook my head. "Mal…that was just a part of Terry's plan. I really don't want to be the creepy girlfriend thing that stalks her boyfriend at parties."

Mallory blinked. "Okay, that makes sense." She tipped her red cup upside down, frowning at the emptiness of it. "I'm out…" She stared in confusion. "I need more." And with that she had bounded away, back to the drink area.

I sighed. It was going to be a long night.

Plopping down on a vacant chair I stared at the multitude of couples fondling each other on every available surface. I raised an eyebrow, hoping I hadn't acted like that at any time in my life. As far as I knew, I never had. Then again, the night I spent with Charlie was fuzzy, anything could have happened. I was bored out of my mind, waiting for Mal to return. Glancing over I noticed she was back to talking with Mutt, who really did look uncannily like Knox.

There was a shout from upstairs that caught everyone's attention, even the couple that was heavily petting each other in the corner; the next thing anyone knew, Charlie Dalton was stumbling down the stairs, glaring behind him and shouting, "Never again!"

I sat up slightly in my seat to see Terry springing down the stairs after him, a worried yet smug look on her face and my eyes narrowed. "Charlie, wait!" she cried, grabbing onto his elbow.

He yanked away and scanned the room, his eyes locking with mine before storming in my direction. I blinked in surprise as he approached. He came to an abrupt stop before me and jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "Why did you bring _her_?" he asked in near agony.

"Um…" I couldn't really explain why.

"And what are you doing here? You're in a fragile state!" His eyes filled with concern as he offered his hand for me to take. "We're getting you out of this toxic environment."

I laughed, accepting his hand and then crossing my arms once I was standing. "I'm not doing anything Charlie. In fact, I was watching out for Mallory," I made up as an excuse.

He raised an eyebrow. "And where exactly is Mal?"

I gulped, averting my eyes. "Having fun?"

Charlie half-smirked at me with tender eyes until Terry showed up behind him and his body went rigid, a shadow crossing over his face. "Do you know what this _friend_ of yours just tried to do?" he asked, looking as if he was about to kill something.

I bit my lip and glanced at Terry, not wanting to believe what I thought Charlie was insinuating. Terry rolled her eyes and jumped into the conversation, placing her hand on my shoulder. "I was proving your love, Charlie," she explained, as if it were plain as day.

Charlie let out a short, barking laugh. "Oh, yes, and trying to get into my pants is proving my love, how?"

My eyes bugged out and I drew away from Terry's touch, hugging myself. "You did what?" Now that it had actually been spoken it seemed so much more real and unbearable.

Terry smirked at Charlie before winking at me. "You see Charlie, since I was your first, there will always be that little piece inside of you that wants me." She quickly stared over at me, her face serious. "No offense…that's just how it works Cootie. It's scientifically proven." Then she went back to grinning at Charlie. "Anyway, by seeing whether you'd succumb to that little inkling inside of you or not was all part of the plan. If you let yourself get with me, which, by the way, wouldn't have happened, then we'd know you really didn't love Ariel." This is where Terry's smile seemed to outgrow her face. "But you definitely passed the test." She glanced over at me. "He definitely loves you."

Charlie sputtered, "T-that's ridiculous! I mean, yes, I love Ariel, why would you think otherwise? But…but…trying to get me into bed…that's….that's…wait." He stopped and stared over at me. "Why were you testing my love?"

I bit my lip at how hurt Charlie appeared. "Oh, um…I wasn't exactly _doubting_ your love…that is to say…" I wrung my hands in embarrassment, flushing a deep red and staring down at the carpet.

It just so happened to be my luck when Mallory finally showed up and screeched. "Did you find out why he didn't propose!?!" Of course, it was only then that Mal noticed Charlie standing next to her and clapped a hand over her mouth. "Oops!" And with that she jumped backwards and shimmied her way into another room, leaving Charlie with his mouth agape and staring after her.

His neck snapped over to glare between Terry and me, and I felt like the worst person in the world. "You sent Terry to seduce me to see if I loved you, thinking that just because I had…um…stopped proposing meant I didn't love you?" He gulped, looking absolutely furious. "That's a new low, Ariel."

"Hey!" Terry piped up. "For your information, when a man loves a woman, he proposes with a large rock and takes her in his arms and never lets her go!"

Charlie scoffed. "You've been reading too many romance novels, Clyde."

"You aren't allowed to call me that!"

"How about 'hoe'?"

"STOP!" I hollered, holding up my hands. "Seriously." I scowled at both of them, then pointed at Terry. "You were wrong to try and…seduce…Charlie. That was stupid, okay? And yes, very hoe-ish." Then I shoved my finger in Charlie's face. "And why _did_ you stop proposing? That's just not fair!"

Both of them crossed their arms indignantly. "I was not acting hoe-ish," Terry huffed.

"Yes you were," Charlie mumbled back.

I rolled my eyes in irritation. "Just shut up!" I growled between my teeth. "I didn't even want to come to this party and now I have to deal with you two bickering? This is ridiculous."

Charlie scoffed. "Oh please. I came to this party to have a good time, only to discover that my future wife doubts me."

Terry rolled her eyes. "Well we have good reason. You _are_ Charlie Dalton, after all. Not to mention you put the breaks on your proposal."

Charlie's face scrunched in anger. "You know what, I don't need to take this shit," he declared before turning quickly on his heel and exiting the room.

"Such a dirty mouth on that one," Terry murmured, shaking her head slowly.

I ran a hand through my hair and shoved past her, scrambling over people that were sucking face on the floor to try and catch up with Charlie. "Shut the fuck up and watch after Mal."

* * *

**Author's Note:** So yeah...filled with lots of silly drama. Yay for miscommunication!? Anyway, leave a review and I will forever be indebted to you :D


	19. Romance On A Porch Swing

**Author's Note:** Okay, so it has been an extremely long time since I've updated. And, once again, I'm sorry about that and, also, I'm not going to say 'hopefully the next chapter will be up sooner' like I did in my last chapter because, well...it's been two months. Oops. Anyway, hopefully you enjoy this chapter. It's full of fluff, or, as Terry would say, it "is so ridiculously sappy". But hey, it appears as if that is what this fic has turned into. But I'm not bothered by it :) Charlie deserves some fluff considering all the angst I usually put him through (insert evil laugh).

**Disclaimer:** I don't really find this necessary anymore...

* * *

I shoved through the drunken crowd, narrowly escaping having beer spilt all over the outfit Terry and Mal had insisted I wear. I sighed when I finally made it to the front door, frowning as I stepped out and realized Charlie had already blown this popsicle stand. When Charlie was upset and needed to blow off steam, he tended to go off by himself somewhere. It was like his defense mechanism to keep from doing or saying something stupid to the people he cared about. You knew he cared about you if he avoided you after a confrontation, because if he didn't avoid you, it was likely you'd end up with a bloody nose and a black eye.

I groaned, leaning against one of the wooden posts at the top of the porch stairs, staring off into the darkness. This was all so messed up. I was the Golden Child, the girl that never did anything wrong, the girl that had near perfect grades. Sure, I was lacking in the friends department, but overall I was well adjusted and headed for a decent future. Now I had no clue what my future was going to hold. Obviously I was going to be a mother. Subconsciously I ran my hand over my bulbous stomach, splaying my fingers over one side of it and closing my eyes, concentrating on the kicks and hits the twins were administering to my innards.

A hand reached out, grabbing onto my shoulder tightly and causing me to jump. I clutched at the porch pole I had been leaning against to keep me from tumbling down the stairs in a mess of flailing limbs and turned to face whoever it was that wanted my attention. I raised my eyebrows in surprise when I came face to face with Charlie. He chuckled. "You know, if you were a spy, you'd be the worst one," he complimented. My jaw dropped and I let out a strangled noise in questioning confusion. He shrugged and pointed off to my right. "I was sitting on the porch swing." He smirked down into my face. "You _were_ looking for me, right?"

I could feel the blush rising up my neck and flooding my cheeks. "Yeah…I was looking for you." I shrugged my shoulders and slightly waddled over to the porch swing Charlie had apparently previously been sitting on. "And I guess it's a good thing I'm not going to be a spy, huh?" I plopped down, hand still on my stomach, and glanced up at Charlie, who was now leaning on the porch railing beside the swing. He sighed, turning so that he was leaning against the wood on his elbows and watching a few drunken guests teetering around the front lawn.

"You know," he began to speak as if we'd been in the middle of an ordinary conversation and not yelling at each other just a few minutes ago, "I used to be one of those guys down there. Getting too smashed to even realize I was laying on my back and reaching out for stars that are impossible to hold." I sat there awkwardly, my hands folded on top of my baby bump, squirming in my seat much the same way Neil and Percy were squirming inside of me. Charlie lowered his head, silent for a moment, before he tilted his neck, crooking it so that he was facing me. "Will you marry me?" he blurted, monotone.

"Oh, that was romantic, Charlie," I scoffed. There had been no emotion in his question, and it was more scientific sounding than actually wanting.

"I'm not trying to be romantic. I just need to _know_," he clarified, obviously beginning to get irritated again. I gulped, shrinking back against the swing, rocking it back a few inches.

"I…I…yes."

"Why?"

I blinked in surprise, raising an eyebrow and meeting his eyes with mine. "Why what, Charlie?"

"Why would you marry me?"

I opened my mouth to reply, but ended up looking like a funky little goldfish, floundering for the right words. I guess it was a pretty good question considering it stumped me so much. I closed my yap, biting my lip and averting my eyes, thoughtfully taking in the lines of the wood that were visible thanks to the dim light filtering out of the house windows. "I suppose saying because 'I love you' isn't what you're looking for?" It seemed as if he were searching for something more solid than just that. Not to mention pulling out the 'I love you' card is a pretty low blow. I sat there limply, the only movement being the boys inside of me. Finally I just looked at Charlie with a fierce determination in my eyes. I took a deep breath, launching into what possibly could be the cheesiest monologue to be spoken on that porch. "I'd marry you because I'm having your kids, Charlie. I'd marry you because I know you'd never abandon me, not permanently, no matter how much I've angered or disappointed or frustrated you. I'd marry you because you're able to support and provide for me. I'd marry you because you want me to marry you. And I want to do whatever makes you happy, because, really Charlie, I do love you." I dropped my eyes, sighing. "I'm not very good with words when I need to be," I muttered, realizing that I probably sounded extremely stupid listing off why I'd marry him and knowing I didn't even come close to all of the reasons I'd marry Charlie Dalton.

The porch swing creaked as Charlie sat gingerly down beside me, taking one of my hands in his, placing the other one over the hand that was still perched on my stomach. I stopped breathing for just a moment, my eyes darting to his face. He was sporting a small smile, and his eyes had gone soft as he felt his children wriggling just beneath my skin. I couldn't help but let a grin spread across my own lips at the way Charlie looked completely content in that moment. He may have had the bad boy reputation, but he wasn't _bad_, and he deserved to be just as happy as the next person. His glance flit away from my stomach, resting back on my eyes. He smirked. "I really just wanted to see what you'd come up with," he admitted impishly, and my jaw dropped. I was about to retort with something exceptionally witty and scathing, but Charlie just laughed, leaned in, and pressed his lips against my own, knowing that was the most effective way to shut me up.

He got off the hook so easily.

Charlie cleared his throat, fishing in the pocket of his pants and drawing out a _very_ familiar little velvet box that made my eyes pop. I didn't think I could handle it if Terry poked her head out the front door and interrupted this again, throwing us into a vicious cycle of 'propose-and-withdraw'. "Charlie…I…"

"Hey," he whispered, interjecting. "I'm not backing out this time. No matter who comes along, whether it be Terry or the Blob." He grinned, running his fingers through my hair and licking his lips. "Ariel Duchamp? Will you marry me?"

I bit my lip, not very effectively hiding the broad grin that was dancing onto my face, and nodded my head fervently. "Yes. Yes I will."

Charlie grinned, an actual smile and not just a smirk, before removing the beautiful engagement ring from its velvety fortress and slipping it onto my finger.

"Oh this is so ridiculously sappy," I heard Terry hiss from beside the porch and I tightened my grasp on Charlie's hand when I felt him tense up.

Mallory, who was apparently crouching beside Terry and spying as well, snorted, "I think it's cute! I want someone to propose to me!"

"Do you want a bun in your oven?"

"A bun? No, why?"

Charlie smirked, continuing to stare at me as we listened to my two friends.

Terry scoffed, "Not an actual _bun_ Mal; I meant a baby."

"Why would a baby be in my oven?"

"Oh, I give up," Terry sighed, and we could hear her trudge away.

"Hey," Mal called, completely forgetting that she was supposed to be quiet and sneaky, "Don't leave alone in the dark! I don't want to end up in an oven or something like those babies you were talking about!"

Charlie shook his head once they had run off into the night. "You've got the oddest taste in people, Cootie."

I grinned. "Well, you _are_ pretty weird at times."

Charlie rolled his eyes. "Ha ha. Come 'ere," he murmured, wrapping his arms around me and drawing me against his side, burying his face against my neck and nuzzling his nose against the skin there. "You know…marriage means we'll have our own place. And we won't have to…sneak past parents in order to…have fun."

I chuckled as he moved his lips against the sensitive skin below my ear. "You do realize I'm four months pregnant, right?"

Charlie pulled back, raising an eyebrow. "I don't see your point."

I rolled my eyes, grinning, "I'm not the girl you got with a couple months ago…I…I look a lot different…"

Charlie laughed, making me cringe. "Ariel…you're having my kids, you're my fiancé, and I love you. Do you honestly think I care what you look like?"

I blinked. "Well…I mean…that is to say…I…"

Charlie smirked, and shut me up the best way he knew how. At least he was good at that.

* * *

**Author's Note:** See, ridiculously sappy...yet cute? Comments are love :)


	20. Departure Time Next Week

**Author's Note: **Is it just me, or am I incapable of writing long chapters? Anyway, here's the next addition to Cameron's Cousin. It's kind of random...but I hope you enjoy it anyway. :) Also...I never went through this chapter to edit out any mistakes or typos...chock it up to laziness or something...either way, sorry for anything ridiculously and blatantly wrong grammatically and whatnot.

**Disclaimer:** We all know who I do and don't hold the rights to...

* * *

"PUSH!"

I groaned. "Do you have to continually yell that at me, Mal?" I asked with slight irritation.

Mal shrugged, skipping around my dorm, clearly annoying Caroline, who was becoming increasingly more anal retentive as the year drove on. "I have to practice for when your babies come along. Do you want me yelling 'push' like some person who's new to the whole birthing process?" she asked incredulously, as if I were the crazy one.

I couldn't help but smile lopsidedly at her and roll my eyes. "Okay, well, keep it down; Caroline's trying to…what is it you said you were trying to do again?" I asked my roommate, who was lying on her bed and breathing weirdly.

"Find my inner chi," she replied.

Mal raised her eyebrows, coming to an abrupt halt and placing her hands on her hips. She tilted her head, examining Caroline with curiosity. "PUSH!" she yelled, causing Caroline to snap up into a sitting position.

"Must you be so…so…I can't even describe how irksome you are," she cried, crossing her arms, "Now I'll never find my inner chi. You've probably scared it off with your incessant and ridiculous yelling."

I was seated in my desk chair, drumming my fingers on my stomach. The boys were still at the moment, and I was able to actually relax. Or, that is, relax as much as possible with my weird roommate and insane friend around. "Why are you trying to find your inner chi anyway?" I asked, having no clue what that actually meant.

Caroline huffed, as if both I and Mallory were a couple of idiots, and replied, "Because if I can find my inner chi I can find peace and then I'll be able to tolerate you two…or something like that." Apparently Caroline really had no idea what inner chi was either. Which made me feel slightly better and a little smug.

Terry popped into the room moments later, making Caroline groan and flop back onto her bed once again. "My chi is forever lost," she bleated.

"So cry about it," Terry retorted, rolling her eyes. Then she paused. "Your huh?"

"Her chi," Mal spoke up, bouncing around the room and practicing saying 'push' with different accents. "That's what allowed her to put up with us irksome people."

"Oh," Terry hummed, thinking it over for a second before shrugging her shoulders and dismissing it completely. She grinned triumphantly, turning to me and holding up the most hideous thing I had ever seen. "Look what I made during my stitchery class!"

I raised my eyebrows. "Some sort of torturous, white device?"

Terry grimaced. "No Cootie; this is your wedding veil!"

"Oooh!" Mal cooed, floating across the room over to Terry's side and admiring the thing.

I blinked, crossing my arms and staring at them from my seat. "I don't think so…"

I didn't really want a traditional wedding, considering I couldn't fit into a traditional dress without looking like a beached whale…a small beached whale, but still a whale. And that veil that Terry was holding out of Mel's reaching distance, was most definitely meant to be traditional, although it resembled a mutilated white rabbit more than anything else, and it was _not_ going to be placed on my head anytime soon.

I watched as Mal attempted wrestling the poorly made garment out of Terry's grasp, failing miserably because of Terry's determination to keep it away, and tapped my pencil on my desk, raising my eyebrows before clearing my throat. "Terry…can I see it?" I asked, extending my arm to take the stupid lacey garment from her. Terry, thinking I had finally caved, gave a 'whoop' of joy before handing over the veil. I hold onto it with my pointer and thumb pinched together, making a face. "Here ya go, Mal." I tossed it in her direction, clapping my hands over my ears at her excited squeal.

"For God's sake," Caroline grumbled, pulling the pillow over her head and turning to face the wall.

Terry stood with her hands on her hips, mouth wide until she clamped it shut and glared at me. "Now look what you've done; we'll never be able to get it back from her, Coot."

I grinned broadly. "And that was exactly the point, Clyde."

A light knock on the doorframe of our wide open room quieted us all down, and we swiveled our heads at the exact same time to see who the visitor was. Charlie stood there, a small smirk on his face, eyes locking with mine as I grinned back. "Hi," he said quietly. He held up a day pass that he had received from the headmistress to be visiting, his smirk growing into a grin as he leaned against the doorway. Our rooms were small, and there were already four of us crammed in there. He nodded at Mal in greeting and raised an eyebrow at the blushing Caroline, who was hiding behind her pillow, every now and again peeking over it. He completely ignored Terry, much to her chagrin.

"Hi," I lamely replied, a slight tint coming into my cheeks as well.

It was then that he noticed the hideous veil in Mal's hands, and his eyes widened. "Is that…?"

"No!" I nearly yelled, getting out of my chair slowly and walking over to the door. "That's something that we will never discuss again…Mal…burn it."

Terry snorted, rolling her eyes. "It's not _that_ bad," she defended her work. I gave her a pointed look and she shrugged. "So maybe veil making isn't my future career…I try."

Charlie wrapped his arm around my waist when I finally made it to the door after playfully punching Terry in the arm. "I'll see you girls later."

"Don't do anything I wouldn't!" Terry jokingly called after us, Mal chuckling and placing the veil on top of her own head, pretending to be the Queen of France.

I could hear Caroline grumbling all the way down the hall as Charlie and I made our way to the front hall.

We sat on one of the stone benches that adorned the extravagant entrance of Henley, since it was continuing to grow colder outside, Charlie's arms still wrapped around my waist, his chin resting on my shoulder. "I have to tell you something," he whispered, interlacing our fingers, running them over the engagement ring that had found its home on my finger.

I leaned against the cool wall behind us and raised an eyebrow, staring at some of the trophy cases that were across the way. "Hmm?"

Charlie tilted his head, nuzzling into my neck and placing a few kisses to my neck. "I…might be going out of town for a while."

I blinked, freezing in his grasp. I turned in his arms, jarring his jaw from my shoulder and staring into his eyes, my mouth parted slightly in confusion. "Out of town…okay…" When? Why? For how long?

Charlie ran a hand through his hair. "Well…my parents are sending me to another prep school…because of how 'important' my education is. Even though I'll be working at my father's bank my entire life anyway."

I nodded. That made sense. Of course they would want Charlie to have what was considered a proper education. "So…you're just going to be out of town for the rest of the school year…you can still visit and everything."

Charlie gulped and averted his eyes. "See when I said 'out of town' I kind of meant 'out of state'."

I took a deep breath. "Where are you going?" I finally squeaked out.

"…Michigan."

Michigan. That was halfway across the country. How were we supposed to get married and how was Charlie supposed to be there when the boys were born? They were due in five months, and there was still that long, if not more, left of the school year. I crossed my arms, ending up hugging myself. I didn't want to become one of those silly girls that started bawling at the smallest thing but this just wasn't fair. I nodded my head, grinding my teeth in an attempt to keep the tears from falling. Damn the pregnancy hormones for making me such a sap. "When…when are you leaving."

Charlie heaved a sigh and glanced into my eyes for a moment before studying the architecture of the grand hall very intently. "A couple weeks. They don't want me to miss anymore school than I already have…"

Of course. Charlie hadn't been in school since his expulsion, and he'd be even further behind at a different school that he didn't know the ropes of. I blinked rapidly before deciding to just bury my face in his side. "Royal shaft," I mumbled into his jacket, sniffling, a few stray tears leaking down my cheeks.

Charlie bit his lip and wound his arm around my shoulders, holding me close and rubbing my back in what must have been a way to calm me down or something. But it didn't work. Inside I was so frosted with his parents that I wanted to explode. And when the twins started to jump around inside of me I let out a small whimper. I was going to be alone. Well…not alone, but Charlie wasn't going to be with me and that's all I wanted at the moment, especially when the boys were being born. Charlie sighed, playing with a strand of my hair. "You can say that again," he remarked quietly, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. "So…I guess we should get married sooner…before I go…"

I lifted my head and wiped at my face, nodding. "When were you thinking?"

Charlie hesitated for a second, then grabbed my hand. "…now."

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**Author's Note:** Poor Charlie...sent away...so not cool. Reviews are like candy and I have sweet tooth...if you know what I mean ;)


	21. One Short Honeymoon

**Author's Note:** I'm sorry for the long wait! I had to take a break from this story after having some more weird dreams about being pregnant and whatnot...so yeah. Also, as a forewarning, this chapter got attacked by Fluff Monsters, so expect LOTS of ridiculous fluff because...come on, as the title of the chapter implies...it's Ariel and Charlie's honeymoon.

Thank you for all of your reviews! They really do mean a lot to me :D

**Disclaimer:** I would love me some Charlie Dalton, but, unfortunately, that's not how the world works.

Cameron's Cousin Chapter 21: One Short Honeymoon

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I froze, trying to figure out if I had heard Charlie correctly or if I was in some kind of pregnancy induced hallucination. My mouth was hanging open, making me look extraordinarily guppy-like, and I just stared up into his eyes. "Where's the nearest chapel?" I managed to squeak out, and Charlie positively beamed, a grin spreading across his face.

Pulling me up and off the bench with the hand he had been holding, Charlie pulled me towards the grand doors of Henley, glancing this way and that as if we were two spies trying to escape enemy territory. "There's one of those quick ones in the next town over," he informed me in a hushed tone, herding me out towards the car and making sure we weren't being followed by any annoying staff member that might want to stop two reckless teenagers from getting married. Then again, we were supposed to already be married, so maybe that's how we got out so easily.

The wheels of Charlie's practically brand-new car squealed as he pulled out of the parking spot he had previously inhabited and headed for Bourbon, the next city over, at dangerous speeds. It was a good thing there weren't any cops waiting around for drivers that could potentially endanger other occupants of the road, or we would have been dead for sure. Charlie came to a jerking halt in front of the cheesiest looking building I had ever laid eyes on, and I raised an eyebrow before peering over at Charlie with an incredulous look plastered to my face. He blinked, raising an eyebrow right back and shrugging. "What?" he asked innocently before opening his door and walking over to mine, helping me to my feet. He sighed. "It's not the best, but it's the only place that let's anyone get married at anytime without some sort of…prerequisite."

"Mighty big word there, Charlie," I remarked, still looking suspiciously at the place I'd finally be tying the knot with Charlie at.

Charlie rolled his eyes, smirking to himself as he led me inside, one arm wrapped around my waist as he held open the door and followed behind. He stepped up to the counter where a friendly-enough appearing man waited to serve young lovers and drunk couples. His grin was huge and gappy and yellow; a few patches of his beard were missing, as if he had taken a razor to his face at random; and he smelled of gasoline. But he was willing to marry us, and that was good enough for Charlie. And therefore good enough for me.

I had never expected my wedding to be hurried and short, and I had never envisioned myself clad in a school uniform that my bulging belly was straining against. Then again, I had never thought I'd ever be marrying Charlie Dalton either. And yet, here I was, doing all of that.

He held my hand, leading me up to the altar, so different from how a 'proper' wedding would have been, and, within mere minutes and a few bad jokes from Darren, the man marrying us, we were legally bound.

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Fancy hotels in tropical islands are ideal for week long honeymoons. But all Charlie and I had was the local motel for the evening.

I woke up the next morning to the feel of Charlie's lips being pressed along my bare back and shoulder blades. Cracking open one eye I took in the stark white walls and stretched before rolling onto my back and looking up into the shining eyes of my husband. _My husband_. How odd. He leaned down, pressing a tender kiss to my lips. "Good morning, Mrs. Dalton," he cooed, kissing down my jaw and over my collarbone before just nuzzling his nose into the crook of my neck and sighing in content, wrapping one arm over my waist and dragging me closer to him.

I smiled, letting out a pleased sigh as well and wrapped my arm around his neck, burying my fingers into his hair as I pulled the sheets up around us. Charlie jokingly groaned. "I like it when there's nothing covering you up," he said, biting at my ear and making me squeak. He chuckled, pulling the sheet away from my body and glancing at my chest for a painstakingly long amount of time, causing a blush to rise up on my cheeks. Noticing this, Charlie just laughed. "Hey, we're married now, don't plan on hiding these puppies away from me," he warned, sneaking underneath the covers and kissing down my neck, proceeding south to my chest.

My eyes widened and I wiggled beneath him. "Charlie!" I yelled in what I hoped would sound slightly scolding.

From the muffled chortles beneath the sheets and the continued sensation of lips and fingertips against my skin, I knew I had failed in my attempt at discipline. But this was Charlie Dalton, and discipline really wasn't in his vocabulary.

I bit my lip, leaning my head back against the pillow until Charlie resurfaced and grinned down into my face. "I love you," he told me for about the millionth time since the wedding. His eyes lit up every time those words fell from his mouth, and right now, with his hair sticking out at odd angles, nothing around us but the sheets, I couldn't help but feel like I had found a little piece of heaven in Charlie Dalton.

I pulled him down into a soft kiss before repeating the phrase back to him, causing him to let an avalanche of hushed "I love you"s drip off his tongue as he pressed kisses to my face. He really was a romantic mush when it came down to it. He drew back from my face, flopping lazily down onto the mattress beneath me and set his hand on the sheets that were settled over my growing stomach. He moved his fingers carelessly along it, a small smile gracing his lips. "And I love them too," he informed me. He sat up, pressing two kisses to my baby bulge. "Neil and Percy," he hummed against my stomach, closing his eyes and resting his head there for a moment. "I miss you already," he sighed, shifting to get more comfortable before situating his chin on my tummy and staring up at me with soft eyes.

I allowed a grin to amiably wander over my lips, reaching my hand out to run through his hair and find a home on his cheek. His eyes slipped shut and he took a deep breath. "I miss you already, too," I assured him before staring up at the ceiling.

Charlie groaned, tilting his head and blowing a raspberry through the sheets, making me laugh, before he placed one last kiss to my lips and slipped out of bed, pulling on his briefs. "I guess the 'adult' thing to do would be to return you to Henley." He plopped back down onto the bed, hugging me close and snuggling into my side as I wound my arms around him. "You can't get kicked out of school too," he joked, knowing that attendance was a crucial part of the Welton-Henley education system.

I pouted. "I'm already late," I pointed out to him as he lay there, seemingly unconscious.

Charlie lifted his head and blinked up at me with a smirk. "But you know they'll check your rooms, and when they find you missing you're going to be in hot water."

I snorted, shaking my head. "I'm already on thin ice because I'm pregnant…"

Charlie smiled, leaning up to press a kiss to my forehead. "So maybe you shouldn't push it," he advised, slipping once again from the bed and collecting our clothes, handing mine over to me so that I could get dressed as well.

I couldn't help but grin as well as I began to slip my shirt on. "You know…for once in your life you just have to act your age…"

Charlie zipped his pants, beginning to button up his shirt, and glanced over the bed at me. "Chock it up to…becoming a father?"

My heart skipped a beat and I could feel my stomach flip. I don't think I'd ever get used to the idea of Charlie and I becoming parents, even though I couldn't see my feet anymore because of the size I had bubbled to. I flushed red for some reason and stared back over at him, a large smile plastered to my face. "Just so long as you don't change completely."

Charlie smirked, as he always had. "Oh, trust me; when we're alone, with our own house…you're going to wish I acted my age." He wiggled his eyebrows and, at that moment, I had never wanted anything more than to dash out and buy a cozy little house with a white picket fence.

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**Author's Note:** Hopefully you enjoyed :) On a random note...I miss being able to use asterisks...


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